Police shut down UK-based illegal IPTV streaming network that made £3 million after Sky complaint

Feb 3, 2026 - 21:00

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.

03/02/2026 - MANCHESTER - As the television industry marks its 100th anniversary, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police is working with industry partners to take decisive action against large-scale illegal IPTV streaming. Last week, officers executed warrants in Manchester, making four arrests and seizing ten servers and associated equipment. Each item was valued at approximately ??75,000, with total seizures exceeding ??750,000. The investigation began after Sky reported suspicious activity linked to a large-scale illicit streaming service. Investigators identified individuals believed to be operating an illegal IPTV service supplying millions of consumers across the UK. One suspect is alleged to have generated more than ??3 million in revenue from the operation. During the operation, officers shut down the servers on site. Sky confirmed that the takedown caused widespread disruption to illegal streaming output across the UK. This impact demonstrates the tangible effect of coordinated enforcement in protecting consumers and the creative industries. The operation is a clear example of effective collaboration between industry and law enforcement to disrupt organised financial crime. The scale and sophistication of the infrastructure uncovered highlights the ongoing need for vigilance as the television industry celebrates another century of innovation. PICTURE: UNPIXS 03/02/2026 — 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.

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‘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.

‘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.’

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