Chris Davie
Published February 3, 2026 7:06pm
Updated February 3, 2026 7:06pm
Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook
Comment now
Comments
Sky had reported ‘suspicious activity’ to police which has led to four arrests (Getty)
Police have shut down a major UK-based illegal IPTV network that made over £3 million after being tipped off by Sky.
During a raid in Manchester last week, four people were arrested while police seized ten servers, each valued at approximately £75,000, with total seizures exceeding £750,000.
City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit claim that one suspect is alleged to have made more than £3m in revenue from the operation, which supplied millions of people across the UK.
The investigation began after Sky reported suspicious activity linked to a large scale illegal streaming service, which allowed viewers in the UK to watch live Premier League matches without a subscription.
During the raid, police shut down the servers on site before Sky reportedthat the widespread disruption had affected the illegal streaming output across the UK.
Servers worth up to £750,000 were seized by police in a raid in Manchester last week
Detective constable Jordan Day, of the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit, said: ‘Criminals continue to provide illegal IPTV streaming services to consumers. These services are not harmless alternatives, they are examples of organised criminal operations generating millions in illegal profits.
Get your football fix
Don't want to miss the week's biggest football stories? Metro's exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.
From the latest transfer rumours and managerial moves to analysis of the biggest games and a lot more, our experts have you covered.
Sign up here, it's an open goal.
‘It is more important than ever that our team works to protect the integrity of broadcasting and the millions of people who rely on it.
More Trending
-
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (4-2 on aggregate): Gunners into Carabao Cup final
Channel: Football Football 3 hours ago By Tony Mogan - Newcastle set price for Arsenal and Chelsea to sign Sandro Tonali
- Arsenal vs Chelsea: Predicted lineups today and confirmed team news
- Gary Lineker backs Man Utd star to beat Declan Rice to Player of the Season award
‘This operation demonstrates the impact we can have when we work closely with partners like Sky to dismantle these illegal networks, sending a clear message to those who profit from piracy that they will be held to account.’
Matt Hibbert, group director of anti-piracy at Sky said: ‘We thank the police Intellectual Property Crime Unit for taking decisive action against a major pirate operation.
‘We take the protection of our content extremely seriously given the significant investment we make and will continue to work with the police and industry partners to disrupt the criminal networks behind piracy.
‘People who watch illegal streams should know that it isn’t a victimless crime: recent research by BeStreamWise advise that nearly 65 per cent of illegal streamers have faced security scares like malware through these unlawful methods. This action will help keep consumers, their devices and their personal data safe.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Arrow MORE: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (4-2 on aggregate): Gunners into Carabao Cup final
Arrow MORE: Man Utd told to abandon interest in £100m target and sign England team-mate instead
Arrow MORE: Marcus Rashford makes decision on Manchester United return after Michael Carrick message
Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source Football Newsletter – In The MixerPunchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro's football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.
Team Expand Options ? Select All Select All Arsenal Arsenal Aston Villa Aston Villa Bournemouth Bournemouth Brighton Brighton Burnley Burnley Chelsea Chelsea Crystal Palace Crystal Palace Everton Everton Fulham Fulham Leeds United Leeds United Liverpool Liverpool Manchester City Manchester City Manchester United Manchester United Newcastle Newcastle Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Sunderland Sunderland Tottenham Tottenham West Ham West Ham Wolves Wolves Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign UpSign UpThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy