Those targeted were identified from a large database of people who watched sports and movies without paying for them. In “Operation Raider,” police have joined forces with FACT anti-piracy investigators. This week, police will visit 1,000 homes as part of a crackdown on illegal TV streaming. Customers who will be targeted have been identified from a massive database as part of a large ongoing criminal investigation. Officers will be knocking on doors this week, and homeowners may face charges. The crackdown follows raids on a UK-based illegal streaming service that provides entertainment and sports via modified boxes. The new crackdown is aimed at people who try to watch Premier League games, football from all over Europe, and other sports and movies for free. In “Operation Raider,” police have joined forces with FACT anti-piracy investigators, and the knock on the door is likely to come as a huge surprise. They may be served with notices, ordered to stop immediately, and warned of severe consequences. In 2021, Paul Faulkner and Stephen Millington were sentenced to a total of 16 months in prison for watching illegal streams. According to investigators, there is a clear connection between illegal streaming services and fraud, scams, and organised crime. The crackdown has the backing of major organisations such as the Premier League and broadcasters such as Sky, BT Sport, and Amazon, but it has been led by the police and FACT, which was established to combat piracy in the television and film industries. “We are able to deploy cutting-edge digital tactics to identify and detect people who break the law before carrying out enforcement activity in collaboration with our partners,” said Detective Inspector Matt McNellis. Illegal streaming is frequently used to fund Serious Organised Crime, and the West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is dedicated to intercepting this source of criminal revenue and reducing the harm that organised crime groups can do to our communities.” “Accessing films, TV series, and live sports events from unauthorised sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and can help fund organised criminal groups,” said Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit. We would like to thank the Government Agency Intelligence Network (GAIN), the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), West Mercia Police, and other police forces across the country for their support in ensuring that the public are made aware of the dangers of using illegal streaming services and, more importantly, that they understand that there is the risk of criminal prosecution,” FACT Chief Executive Kieron Sharp added.
