More than 100 searches Italian police smash streaming piracy ring
The Italian financial police have carried out more than 100 searches in a large-scale operation against illegal streaming and targeted around a thousand users of so-called pirate subscriptions.
22.05.2026, 11:31
22.05.2026, 11:35
SDA
According to the financial police, these include illegal access to paid services from several well-known streaming providers.
According to the public prosecutor's office in Bologna, the operators used a new type of technology in which customers installed a specific app. This connected the devices to foreign servers in order to unlock encrypted content and bypass the platforms' security controls.
Investigators speak of a highly sophisticated system that often processed payments via cryptocurrencies or foreign accounts. More than 70 alleged sellers are said to have offered subscriptions for between 40 and 130 euros.
The authorities estimate the economic damage to the companies concerned at around 300 million euros. During the searches, the police were able to seize a considerable amount of evidence. It is hoped that this will provide further leads.
Fines of up to 5,000 euros are now to be imposed on the first 1,000 identified users.
