LALIGA takes part on an unprecedented Europol operation to successfully neutralize a record number of illegal streaming platforms and illegal IPTVs

LALIGA has constantly demonstrated its commitment on the fight against audiovisual fraud and illegal content consumption through different initiatives and complaints. Now, after months of work between more than a dozen countries and private companies, coordinated by the Republic of Bulgaria and led by Europol, a network that provided illegal distribution to more than 22 million users worldwide, has been dismantled.

Operation Kratos, which took place this year between early June and mid-September, brought together law enforcement authorities from EU and non-EU Member States, EU agencies and private digital content companies. The operation was carried out in the context of major sporting events this summer such as UEFA EURO 2024 and the Olympic Games, with the main objective of combating digital piracy in the form of the publication, distribution and broadcasting of digital content subject to copyright and related rights.

During the period of the operation, led by the republic of Bulgaria, represented by DGCOP – Ministry of Interior, the law enforcement authorities of the Republic of Italy and the Republic of Croatia, supported by Europol and Eurojust, in direct cooperation with the Alliance against Audio-Visual Piracy (AAPA), succeeded in dismantling one of the largest illegal streaming networks operating in and outside the EU. In the framework of the operation, operationally relevant information was shared related to the identification of illegal streaming platforms, the documentation of crimes and the identification of groups of perpetrators of these criminal acts.

The investigation, which targeted illegal distribution of material from streaming services including movies, series and TV channels (including sports), identified 102 suspects, 11 of whom were arrested. The network was found to have distributed more than 2,500 TV channels and reached over 22 million users worldwide without the consent of the copyright holders. During the operation, over 112 searches and seizures were conducted, at least 29 servers and 270 IPTV devices were seized, as well as 100 domains linked to illegal activities.

As a result of the operation, more than 560 resellers of the pirated service were identified, and drugs and weapons were seized in the searches, and cryptocurrency worth around €1.6 million was confiscated, as well as €40,000 in cash. The operation involved the participation of 15 countries, including Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, with the support of Europol, Eurojust and AAPA being key to the coordination of the action.

In a number of other countries, cases have been initiated or concluded respectively concerning illegal platforms through which protected content subject to intellectual property rights is broadcast - Republic of Bulgaria, Northern Republic of Macedonia, Hellenic Republic, Kingdom of Spain, Republic of Latvia, Republic of France, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Republic of Romania, Portugal and others. On the part of the private right holders, UEFA, La Liga, AAPA, MPA and several others took part in the operation and also contributed with timely information to identify illegal content, identify the source of the signal and take it down, using the tools of the legal means at their disposal.

Operation Kratos is a natural follow-up to Operational Action 3.2 under the priority "Crimes against Intellectual Property, Counterfeiting of Goods and Currencies" in the EMPACT platform established by the European Commission and is an important milestone in the efforts to combat illegal streaming and illegal IP TV. This operation is an important signal of international cooperation in the fight against digital piracy and illegal trade in counterfeit goods, demonstrating the commitment of Bulgaria and its partners to protect intellectual property and ensure online safety.