🚨 Four Held in £3m Illegal TV Streaming Raids in Major UK Police Operation
Published: 4 February 2026
In a significant anti-piracy crackdown, UK law enforcement has arrested four people believed to be running a large-scale illegal TV streaming network thought to have generated more than £3 million in revenue. (Advanced Television)
Officers from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police carried out coordinated raids across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, seizing 10 high-value servers and associated equipment worth about £750,000. (Advanced Television)
📺 What the Raids Exposed
The multi-location operation uncovered an illegal IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service that supplied millions of viewers in the UK with unauthorised access to premium content — including live sport, films and subscription channels such as Sky Sports, Netflix, Amazon Prime, BT and Disney+ — without paying for legal subscriptions. (AOL UK)
According to police, the investigation began after a tip-off from Sky, which noticed suspicious activity linked to a large-scale illicit streaming service. Detectives subsequently identified those believed to be operating the network and executed warrants on site. (Advanced Television)
👮 Arrests and Legal Action
The four individuals detained — including a 49-year-old man from Bolton, a 40-year-old from Blackpool, and two women aged 21 and 40 from Bolton — were held on suspicion of conspiracy to distribute copyright-infringing articles and money laundering. (AOL UK)
All suspects have since been released under investigation while detectives continue to probe the case. (Advanced Television)
📉 Police and Industry Response
Detective Constable Jordan Day of PIPCU emphasised that illegal IPTV services are not a harmless alternative to legitimate streaming, but instead examples of organised criminal operations generating millions in unlawful profits. (Advanced Television)
Matt Hibbert, Group Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky, thanked police for their action and reiterated the company’s commitment to protecting content rights and combating piracy. He also warned consumers that illegal streaming often comes with significant cybersecurity risks, including malware and financial fraud. (Advanced Television)
⚠️ Why This Matters
With millions of viewers illegally accessing subscription content, law enforcement and industry partners are stepping up efforts to disrupt piracy networks and reduce financial losses to broadcasters and rights holders. Analysts warn that while dodgy streaming devices might seem like a bargain, they can lead to higher long-term costs for users and expose personal data to fraudsters. (AOL UK)
🔑 SEO & Keyphrases Included
📌 illegal TV streaming raids / 📌 £3m illegal streaming network / 📌 IPTV piracy arrests / 📌 anti-piracy police operation / 📌 PIPCU Sky tip-off / 📌 UK streaming crackdown
Leave a Reply