GERMAN POLICE RAID SUSPECTED PAY-TV PIRACY RING

Authorities in Germany have carried out coordinated raids across three federal states as part of an investigation into a suspected organised pay-TV piracy network.

The action targeted four men aged between 41 and 51 accused of large-scale card-sharing and the illegal provision of IPTV services.

According to the public prosecutor’s office in Dessau-Roßlau and the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) of Saxony-Anhalt, searches were conducted on 2 December 2025 in Magdeburg and Lutherstadt Wittenberg, as well as in Delitzsch (Saxony) and Heldenstein (Bavaria). The investigation centres on allegations of commercial and gang-related computer fraud within the cybercrime domain.

Investigators believe the suspects unlawfully shared pay-TV smartcards from a major provider over several years, distributing access to a large number of users via the internet. The resulting financial damage to rights holders is estimated to be at least in the mid-six-figure Euro range.

During the raids, police seized extensive evidence, including computer systems, satellite receivers, IPTV boxes, servers, data storage devices and smartphones. Officers also performed live forensic captures of volatile data on external servers and were able to shut down illegal card sharing servers immediately.

The investigation is ongoing, the authorities said.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com