Man arrested as part of crackdown on illegal streaming devices

A man has been arrested in the UK as part of a crackdown on devices that illegally stream subscription services.

Police in Derbyshire executed a warrant on Tuesday, July 18, in efforts to clamp down on the use of illegal set-top boxes.

They raided the suspect’s house and found a large amount of cash and various pieces of electronic equipment.

The man, 29, was arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and copyright offences, and has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

It was alleged that he was selling set-top boxes that have been “tampered with” to enable them to offer subscription services including Sky Sports and BT Sport without payment.

The arrest came as part of a joint operation with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), an organisation established in the UK to work closely with law enforcement agencies to combat copyright infringement.

In a statement released on Friday, July 21, Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, said: “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.”

He added: “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.”