Europol Dismantles Nine Criminal Groups in Illegal Streaming Crackdown

Europol, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from several countries, announced the results of a major operation against illegal streaming. The investigation led to the dismantling of nine criminal groups that unlawfully distributed movies, TV series, and sports broadcasts through pirate platforms.

According to the investigation, the criminals used sophisticated schemes to bypass copyright protection, including fake domains and servers located in different countries. Revenues from illegal activities amounted to millions of euros, while the damage to copyright holders and legitimate streaming services is estimated in the hundreds of millions.

The operation involved police units from Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and other countries. Arrests were carried out simultaneously across multiple nations, effectively disrupting the criminal networks. Europol emphasized that combating piracy remains a priority for law enforcement amid the rise of digital crimes.