The Spanish police dismantled one IPTV, active since 2015, which has allowed managers to earn over 5.3 million euros. Service TVMucho offered over 130 international TV channels a over 14,000 users who have subscribed to one of the available subscriptions. Several websites were seized and eight people arrested.
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The investigation was launched in November 2022 following the complaint filed by ACE (Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment) against the owners of two websites used to market video content in infringement of copyright. Spanish police later discovered that the sites were registered by companies headed by a Dutch citizen.
The latter was the head of an international criminal organization that used sophisticated technologies to intercept, amplify and decipher satellite signals. The over 140,000 IPTV subscribers had access to over 130 channels (BBC, ITV, Sky, RTL and others), paying between 10 and 169 euros/year, based on the type of content. The band of “pirates” earned more 5.3 million euros.
The Spanish police blocked access to the sites, seized the servers and arrested 8 people. During the searches in Las Palmas and Madrid, a vehicle, two computers and a bank account with over 80,000 euros were seized.
The investigation will almost certainly continue identify subscribers who, at the very least, risk an administrative sanction. The results were obtained without using a platform similar to Piracy Shield.
