The operators of a large Latin American illicit IPTV network, IPTV66 were arrested and taken into custody in the Dominican Republic following an operation triggered by a criminal referral by the MPA’s Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).
Given the extent of IPTV66’s illegal service, its operators may face liability beyond copyright infringement, potentially extending to money laundering and other crimes.
The Department of Investigation of High Technology Crimes and Offenses (DICAT) and the Special Department of Transnational Crime Investigations (DEIDET) of the National Police for the Dominican Republic, with support from the US departments of Justice (DoJ) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), carried out the operation.
Distribution channels and device support
The operation sold subscriptions directly to the general public, and offered multiple service packages to pirate resellers.
IPTV66 worked with Android devices, via the Kokaleka TV Android APK. The documentation for the Android app said that “Is always a good idea to perform an IPTV reset…and that the “app wont work if (you) have a MAC Address linked to it, you can always remove the MAC to use the app.”
Using the IPTV Smarters smart TV app, IPTVTalk supported Samsung and LG smart TVs. IPTV Smarters is available directly through smart TV app stores.
The IPTV Smarters app is also available for iOS and Apple TV devices via the Apple App Store. Smarters is widely used by the piracy industry.
Profitable venture
An estimated $10 million in cryptocurrency was generated by the operators over the course of four years, with some of the illicit gains used to acquire real estate. Authorities in the Dominican Republic seized evidence from a 10-story office building in Santo Domingo, solely occupied by the operators, and a large ranch outside the city.
Further reading
Operators of large Latin American IPTV piracy network arrested following ACE criminal referral. Press release. September 18, 2025. Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE)
Why it matters
“This case is a testament to the power of strategic partnerships with local and global law enforcement in detecting, deterring and dismantling digital piracy,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer for the Motion Picture Association. “I commend our partners with the HSI, FBI, DEA and all of the law enforcement authorities of the Dominican Republic for their commitment to protecting copyright and ensuring bad actors face consequences for their crimes.”
