The Dutch FIOD has taken a large IPTV service offline together with the Public Prosecution Service. The service offered 10,000 TV channels and streams from streaming services such as Netflix and Viaplay for ten euros per month.
The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service does not say which streaming service is involved. The FIOD does say that the streaming service asked subscribers ten euros per month and 10,000 TV channels for that. The service also contained around 15,000 films and series from streaming services such as Disney +, Netflix, Viaplay, Videoland and ESPN. According to the investigation service, the IPTV service had ‘hundreds of thousands of subscribers’, Europol talks about ‘more than a million‘.
The streams were offered from a data center in Den Helder. After the investigation, the servers were taken offline and the streaming service can no longer be used.
The FIOD cooperated with the Public Prosecution Service and the Advanced Search Team of the National Police. Europol also helped with data analysis. Four suspects were arrested during the investigation. The FIOD seized cash, the administration, bank accounts and computers of the suspects, as well as five cars.
The tax investigation service warns that not only is offering IPTV services without a valid license illegal, but also watching it. However, the service says nothing about tracking down potential viewers.
