A criminal network that distributed stolen movie and TV programming to consumers using private social media groups was broken up by the Spanish National Police, which announced the arrests on April 20.
Seven people operating as a virtual criminal network were arrested after a nearly year-long investigation that was iniated by the Audiovisual Producers Rights Management Entity (EGEDA) in 2019. The investigation determined the existence of the group and found that its network had more than 15,000 users.
The pirate’s distribution infrastructure was shut down, and payment accounts were blocked. Computers, mobile phones, cash and gold bars were confiscated by the authorities. The seven who were involved were released with charges.
Read the press release by La Policia Nacional de España (Translated to English by Google Translate)
Why it matters
This case again demonstrates that national governments will take a proactive role in enforcing copyright law by taking pirates out of circulation when called upon by content owners to do so.
