FACT, working in collaboration with police forces across the UK, are stepping up efforts to disrupt piracy operations.
In a two-week enforcement operation, FACT and police targeted 30 suppliers of illegal IPTV services.
Individuals were visited in person and issued cease-and-desist warnings by post, instructing them to cease illegal activities immediately or face potential criminal prosecution.
The coordinated effort focused on disrupting the distribution of illicit firesticks and other illegal streaming operations. Visits were carried out in London, Cheshire, Kent, Sussex, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, the East and West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Northumbria, and North Yorkshire.
As part of the enforcement action, South Wales Police arrested a 42-year-old man from Newport who was suspected of involvement in illegal IPTV operations, including the sale of illicit firesticks. FACT and South Wales Police seized several digital devices, including firesticks, which are now undergoing forensic examination. The suspect remains under investigation and could face criminal charges. Additionally, FACT issued a number of takedown requests to social media platforms and online marketplaces, further disrupting illegal IPTV activity.
“Our cease-and-desist measures are not just warnings—they are the first step toward holding offenders accountable. Many who ignored these notices in the past are now facing arrest and criminal charges,” said Kieron Sharp, CEO, FACT.
Courts are increasingly imposing severe penalties for illegal streaming operations. Last month, a private prosecution undertaken by the Premier League resulted in Jonathan Edge, a 29-year-old from Liverpool, receiving a three-year and four-month prison sentence for selling and using illicit firesticks. Despite a prior cease-and-desist warning from FACT, which he chose to ignore, Edge continued his activities. His sentence also includes a concurrent two-year and three-month term for personally accessing and viewing the pirated content he distributed.
