International Anti-Piracy Operation: Illegal IPTV Network With 22 Million Users Dismantled.

The District Attorney's Office of Catania, in collaboration with the State Police and with the support of Eurojust and Europol, has completed one of the largest operations against audiovisual piracy ever conducted at an international level. The operation, developed in coordination with police forces from numerous European countries, involved over 270 operators from the Italian Postal Police and numerous foreign partners.

An Operation Without Precedents

With 89 searches in 15 Italian regions and 14 other searches in countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Croatia and China, the operation targeted a transnational criminal network that operated a sophisticated IT infrastructure for the illegal distribution of audiovisual content.

The investigation involved 102 people, leading to significant seizures: over 2.500 illegal channels and servers that broadcast pirated content, generating illicit profits estimated at over 250 million euros per month. The network illegally offered live programming and on-demand content protected by copyright, owned by platforms such as SKY, DAZN, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and others.

The Structure of the Criminal Association

According to investigators, the group operated following a top-down organizational model, with distinct roles among members. The network used servers located in several countries, including Romania and Hong Kong, to broadcast pirated audiovisual signals throughout Europe. Three alleged high-level administrators were identified in England and the Netherlands, while 80 control panels were located that managed streaming flows for illegal IPTV channels.

The charges include crimes such as unauthorized access to computer systems, computer fraud, money laundering and illegal distribution of protected content. All of this, the Prosecutor's Office specifies, remains subject to judicial review, in compliance with the presumption of innocence.

Seizures and Economic Impacts

During the searches, over 1,65 million euros in cryptocurrencies and 40.000 euros in cash were seized, believed to be the result of illicit activities. However, these amounts represent only a small part of a turnover estimated at around 3 billion euros per year, with economic damages to companies in the sector amounting to over 10 billion euros.

The impact of audiovisual piracy activities is not limited to economic damage. Organized crime exploits these activities to finance other illicit operations, using advanced technological tools, such as encrypted messaging applications and fake identities to hide the operations.

The Role of the Postal Police

The Italian Postal Police played a crucial role in the investigation, monitoring social media channels, forums, blogs and websites advertising illegal subscriptions and streaming flows. The operation required two years of in-depth investigations, conducted by the Postal Police Cyber ​​Security Operations Centre in Catania and coordinated by the Central Service in Rome.

Authorities dismantled a vast computer network, consisting of operational infrastructures distributed across the globe. Key discoveries included servers located in Romania and Hong Kong and control panels that managed thousands of streaming flows.

International Collaboration

The operation benefited from the coordination of Eurojust and Europol and the operational support of the @ON (Operation Network), funded by the European Commission and led by the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate. International working tables allowed, for example, the Croatian police to execute 11 pre-trial detention orders against as many suspects.

Cities and Nations Involved

The Italian cities affected include, among others, Catania, Naples, Milano, Turin, Florence and Rome. At the international level, the investigations involved the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Romania and China.

This operation represents an important step in the fight against audiovisual piracy, highlighting the need for transnational cooperation to combat increasingly complex and technologically advanced crimes. However, the phenomenon remains a global challenge, requiring further efforts to protect creative industries and consumers from illegal activities that undermine the economy and cybersecurity.