Eurojust supported an international joint operation against online piracy criminal groups, resulting in two arrests, 73 searches and the seizure of several websites, servers, computers and electronic evidence.
The joint operations were co-led by units specialised in cybercrime at the offices of the prosecutor generals of Frankfurt am Main and of Dresden, as well as the State Criminal Police of Hesse and Saxony, with the assistance of the German Federal Criminal Police. The operations were carried out in close cooperation with the judicial and law enforcement authorities of France, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, San Marino and Switzerland.
A total of 182 emergency personnel were involved in the measures. The emergency forces were supported by colleagues from the respective countries.
The accused are suspected of having operated the Internet portals www.town.ag and www.usenet-town.com, two of the largest online portals offering access to films, series, music, software, e-books, audio books, newspapers and magazines (e-paper) in systematic and unlawful infringement of copyright.
In Spain and Saxony, arrest warrants were issued against two German nationals (39 and 31 years old). The extradition of the suspected head of the group arrested in Spain has already been requested.
Eurojust is a judicial authority of the European Union, based in The Hague/Netherlands. It supports judicial cooperation and coordinates cross-border criminal proceedings in Europe.
