Officers from Hampshire County Council’s (HCC) Trading Standards Service and Hampshire Constabulary have carried out a warrant at an address in Bursledon, Hampshire.
The operation led to the arrests of a 41-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, on suspicion of offences under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
“Providing copyright material such as that from Sky or BT Sport, brings a significant loss to legitimate businesses; this is illegal to provide and I would urge residents to be careful when they are signing up to subscription services from third parties as it is also illegal to watch,” said Hampshire County Council’s Leader, Councillor Roy Perry.
“It is possible to trace this type of online activity, and we will continue to investigate and pursue those involved in illegal streaming of copyright television as it threatens the livelihoods of those working legitimately in the industry and the wider UK economy.”
These arrests are the culmination of a year’s complex investigation which has involved a number of different agencies. This case was originally referred to Hampshire County Council Trading Standards by the Federation Against Copyright Theft, who identified a number of potential suppliers of illegal streaming in the UK. The arrests form part of a wider investigation, coordinated by Europol, which has involved executing warrants in Southern Ireland and Scotland.
