A Dec. 4 arrest of a Cape Town man accused of illegally selling pirate internet streaming devices and online content subscriptions is being celebrated by digital platform security company Irdeto.
The arresting agency, South African Police Service (SAPS), worked with Irdeto to determine that the suspect was enabling people to view MultiChoice South Africa content, along with content from other international TV providers, illegally.
The arrest included confiscation of a number of pirate internet streaming devices and server equipment. The suspect was released Dec. 5 on bail.
“Content theft has become a full-fledged criminal enterprise, providing illegal subscriptions to compete with established operators, and actions like this are crucial in the fight against piracy,” says Frikkie Jonker, cybersecurity and anti-piracy director for Irdeto. “To effectively combat piracy, content owners, operators and service providers must rely on cutting-edge anti-piracy technologies to identify the source of pirated content and allow for its immediate shutdown.
“Irdeto is committed to continuing to work proactively with customers, partners and law enforcement to identify and prosecute the parties involved in large commercial streaming piracy networks.”
In South Africa, it’s illegal to provide content to any person or any third party without the consent of the rights holders, and according to SAPS, this is just the first arrest in several planned around pirate internet streaming operations in the country.
“We are proud that we have been able to support the South African Police in this important investigation and arrest,” says Joe Heshu, group executive for corporate affairs at Irdeto parent company MultiChoice Group (MCG). “Content redistribution is a growing problem and has emerged as one of the main forms of piracy over recent years, particularly when it comes to live content such as high-profile sports events. It is important for us to work with the relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure we swiftly and purposefully address this criminal activity.”