Police and investigators have launched coordinated raids across more than a dozen regions throughout the UK as part of an campaign against illegally modified Amazon Fire Sticks.
Illegal streaming can be delivered through various devices, but one of the most common methods involves 'jailbroken' Fire Sticks - devices that have had third-party media server software installed on them without authorisation.
The devices allow users to access premium television channels without paying subscription fees, and they've been quietly spreading through UK homes at an alarming rate.
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The software most frequently used for this purpose is called Kodi, an open-source media player that becomes illegal when used to access pirated content.
It gives users access to content from Sky Sports and BT Sport, as well as blockbuster movies and TV shows on Netflix, Disney+ and Apple TV for a fraction of the actual cost.
As part of the global crackdown, Amazon is making it harder for TV pirates looking to illegally stream channels by blocking the apps at a device level.
“Piracy is illegal, and we’ve always worked to block it from our Appstore,” an Amazon spokesperson announced. “Through an expanded program led by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), a global coalition fighting digital piracy, we’ll now block apps identified as providing access to pirated content, including those downloaded from outside our Appstore."
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Now, authorities are conducting raids across the UK in the following locations:
- London
- Kent
- Sussex
- Norfolk
- Northamptonshire
- Lincolnshire
- Derbyshire
- Staffordshire
- East and West Midlands
- Greater Manchester
- Cheshire
- Merseyside
- Northumbria
- North Yorkshire
- South Wales
- North East England
- North West England
Reports also indicate that raids are also being conducted throughout Scotland.
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The latest raids follow police successfully dismantling a dodgy Fire Stick-selling operation back in January 2023. Local police forces and anti-piracy groups have been working to eliminate the illegal streaming market through substantial fines and home raids.
Earlier this year, a supplier was sentenced to two years' imprisonment after selling an illegally modified Fire Stick to an undercover investigator posing as a customer.
And it's not just the suppliers facing the consequences. In fact, both suppliers and viewers face fines of up to £50,000 for using jailbroken Fire Sticks.
Moreover, suppliers may face up to 10 years in prison for distributing modified devices.
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“These devices are legal when used to watch legitimate, free-to-air content,” the government said. “They become illegal once they are adapted to stream illicit content, for example, TV programmes, films and subscription sports channels without paying the appropriate subscriptions.”