The national police dismantled a criminal network that illicitly distributed audiovisual content from premises in Alicante, Seville, Malaga and Madrid. The operation disrupted a scheme that served more than 18,300 paying customers of pirated television and caused losses estimated at over 366 million euros for rightful rights holders. Eight individuals were arrested on charges of belonging to a criminal organization and infringements of intellectual property rights. Among those detained were suspects in Alicante, Valladolid, Malaga and Seville, reflecting a geographically dispersed operation.
The group demonstrated a high level of technological specialization, running operational centers located in Alicante and Seville. From these facilities, they remotely managed the delivery of audiovisual sports content to their clients, coordinating services that bypassed legitimate distribution channels.
Access to movies and sports events
Police investigations began in February 2022, when investigators identified the organization attempting to supply fake multimedia content from two control hubs through IPTV (Internet Protocol Television). The objective was to offer customers access to films, television series, and sports events at prices far below market norms by deploying counterfeit applications on devices such as TV boxes, smart TVs, and smartphones.
The organization presented itself as a telecommunications consulting enterprise, supported by a robust marketing framework designed to attract and retain a large customer base. Members were primarily based in Alicante, Malaga and Valladolid. Their roles included market fraud activities intended to maximize the reach of their services, thereby inflicting significant financial harm on the owners of the affected rights. Such operations aimed to increase the victim pool and drive down legitimate revenue streams.
The financial damage is measured by the loss of potential profits by rights holders who publish and distribute multimedia content. Authorities note that both the members of the collapsed gang and individuals who hired fraudulent services are active participants in harming these victims. The estimated economic impact reaches 366,250,000 euros.
Four records
After identifying all participants, law enforcement conducted four separate entry and search operations in Alicante, Valladolid, Malaga and Seville. Two of these actions targeted control centers that managed the entire computing infrastructure enabling illicit access to multimedia content, including movies, TV series, and football broadcasts, for more than 18,300 customers. During the searches, investigators seized substantial computer equipment—desktops, tablets, smartphones, and storage devices—along with other digital assets. In coordination with prosecutors, the operation aimed to sever the criminal network’s ability to restore services and to reduce the risk of further distribution of pirated content.