This is the most important operation against audiovisual piracy in Castilla y León
The National Police dismantles a criminal network that illegally provided audiovisual and television services
Illegally distributed audiovisual and television content to at least 15,000 users throughout Spain, through closed groups on social networks
To do this, they used third-party identities, without their knowledge, hiring telephones and accounts in financial entities under their name.
Six searches have been carried out and seven people have been arrested in different provinces of Spain. A web page has been closed and numerous effects have been intervened, among which seven gold bars, almost 11,000 euros in cash, numerous computer equipment and supporting documentation of the crimes investigated stand out.
The property damage caused in the last year to the holders of the rights amounts to about 11,830,000 euros, and it was stopped collecting by the Spanish Public Treasury about 3,144,000 euros, with the consequent damage to society as a whole
April 20, 2020.- National Police officers have dismantled a criminal network that illegally supplied audiovisual and television services to at least 15,000 users throughout Spain. There are seven people detained, their two main members in the cities of Zamora and Salamanca, one in the city of Córdoba, three in the province of Valencia (Puerto de Sagunto and Oliva) and the last in the province of Málaga (Benalmádena) as alleged authors of crimes against intellectual property, fraud of telecommunications and usurpation of marital status.
The investigation began in late May 2019, as a result of a complaint filed by the Audiovisual Producers Rights Management Entity (EGEDA) at the Valladolid Provincial Police Station. After various steps, it was possible to determine the existence of a group that illegally distributed audiovisual and television content to at least 15,000 users throughout Spain, mainly through the method called IPTV, through closed groups on social networks.
The progress of the investigations, after the opportune economic analysis and numerous vigilances practiced, made it possible to locate its two main members in the cities of Salamanca and Zamora. Through various steps, it was found that the person investigated in Salamanca administered a web page that he used to advertise his illegal services and the second, from his operations center based in Zamora, led a closed group in a messaging application. Subsequently, the rest of the members were identified, who in a coordinated manner distributed illegal audiovisual and television content to thousands of users in Spain.
It is the most important operation of this type in Castilla y León and one of the most important carried out to date in Spain, as it has dealt a blow to the illegal distribution of audiovisual and television content throughout Spain through groups Closed on social networks, which greatly hinder this type of investigation due to the anonymity that their use confers on them, anonymity that was increased by the fact that the main respondents used the identities of third parties without their knowledge, so that they appeared as headlines of the phones and accounts opened in the financial institutions they used.
Seven gold bars were intervened and nearly 6000 users were disconnected
The agents intervened numerous effects among which are seven gold bars of 20 grams each, almost 11,000 euros in cash, numerous computer equipment and mobile phones, and supporting documentation of the crimes investigated.
During the six home searches carried out in the homes of the investigated, a total of 5,673 users were disconnected, their website was closed, various online payment accounts and other online banking platforms that served to channel their benefits were blocked.
Lastly, it should be noted that only the property damage caused in the last year to the holders of the rights amounts to about 11,830,000 euros, and the Spanish Public Treasury has stopped collecting about 3,144,000 euros, with the consequent damage for society as a whole.
Two phases in the disarticulation of the organization
The disarticulation of the organization was carried out in two phases: a first phase on February 11, 2020 and a second phase on March 10, 2020, having completed the preliminary analysis of the documentation and accounts recently intervened.
The operation ended with the arrest of the seven involved, who, after being brought before the judicial authority, were released with charges.
