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Man arrested in illegal STB crackdown

July 24, 2017

By Colin Mann

Police in the UK Midlands city of Derby have executed a warrant as part of a crackdown on devices that illegally stream subscription services, in a joint investigation with intellectual property protection organisation FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft).

The warrant took place on Tuesday July 18th as part of ongoing work to stop the use of the illegal set-top boxes, which are tampered with to enable them to offer a range of premium subscription services such as Sky TV and BT Sport without paying for them.

A large amount of cash was seized during the warrant, along with various pieces of electronic equipment.

A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and copyright offences and has been released under investigation while inquiries continue.

“This collaboration between Derbyshire Police and FACT is another step forward in disrupting the sale of illegal streaming devices,” declared Kieron Sharp CEO of FACT. “People may think there is nothing wrong with having one of these devices and streaming premium pay-for channels for free, such as live sports. However, this is illegal and you would be breaking the law. Don’t be fooled by devices that offer you the latest Hollywood films and premium pay-for-view sports for no charge. If you want to watch this kind of content, we strongly advise you go directly to the official provider to ensure you don’t fall foul of the law,” he advised.

Categories: App, Articles, Broadcast, Business, Connected TV, Content, In Home, OTT, Pay TV, Piracy, Policy, Regulation, Rights, STB