Police ‘visit 1,000 homes to crack down on games watched on illegal streams’

Police will reportedly visit 1,000 homes over the coming week to warn fans they could be prosecuted if they continue to watch Premier League games on illegal streams.

Authorities are working with Federation Copyright Theft (FACT) anti-piracy investigators in Operation Raider to track down people who illegally watched games in England and across Europe via modified boxes or fire sticks, as reported by The mirror.

They are now taking matters into their own hands and will be knocking on people’s doors to warn them of the possible consequences of their actions.

Police will visit the homes of people they believe have watched games illegally

Not all matches are televised in the UK and some fans are looking to alternative, illegal sources

Notifications could be delivered to the targeted individuals and they are asked to stop using the streams immediately to avoid further sanctions.

The streams have also been used to watch other sports and films that police are keen to crack down on.

They believe these types of practices may also be linked to organized crime gangs.

Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit Detective Chief Inspector Gary Robinson said: “Accessing films, TV series and live sporting events from unauthorized sources is illegal, can expose consumers to risks such as data theft and malware, and helps fund organized crime groups.”

Authorities believe people watched high-profile games on illegal streams

West Mercia Police recently raided a UK-based illegal streaming service and are keen to continue their work to eliminate the problem after compiling a detailed database to identify those using the streams.

“We are able to use state-of-the-art digital tactics to identify and track violators before we take enforcement action together with our partners,” said Detective Inspector Matt McNellis of West Mercia’s Cyber ​​Crime Specialist Operation.

“Illegal streaming is often used to fund serious organized crime, and the West Mercia Cybercrime Unit is committed to stopping this source of criminal revenue and reducing the damage organized crime groups can do to our communities.”