May 11, 2023 12.30 pm This story is over 20 months old

Arrests on Lincolnshire border in multi-million pound illegal streaming investigation

Five police forces were involved in the major investigation
| Photo: Adobe Stock
By Local Democracy Reporter

Two people have been arrested in a suspected multi-million pound illegal TV streaming conspiracy.

Lincolnshire Police was part of the cross-county investigation launched by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.

The operation resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman on Friday, May 5, at the county’s border with Nottinghamshire.

The arrests took place in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, where the individuals were apprehended on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud Sky.

The arrests are linked to an alleged conspiracy where users were provided with illegal access to Sky’s pay-TV services. The illicit operation is estimated to be worth millions of pounds.

As part of the investigation, digital devices were seized from the address in Tuxford and will undergo further examination by law enforcement authorities.

The East Midlands Specialist Operations Unit led the investigation, which involved collaborative efforts from police in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire.

Matt Hibbert, Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky, said: “Illegal streaming networks are often highly organised, using sophisticated technology to distribute stolen content and avoid detection.

“It’s vital that the industry works together with law enforcement to tackle these networks. We’re grateful to the East Midlands Specialist Operations Unit (EMSOU) and Nottinghamshire Police for their support in taking this action.”

In recent years, the use of devices like Fire Sticks for illegal streaming apps has seen a significant rise.

Viewers may have a growing difficulty in affording subscription fees for popular services like Amazon Prime, Sky TV, and Disney+, especially during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Earlier this year, the police announced a nationwide crackdown on illegal streaming, focusing on the escalating number of illegal football streams that violate the Saturday 3pm blackout rules in the UK.

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