Anish Vij
'Dodgy' firestick users are being targeted as part of a crackdown across the country.
A number of homes throughout the UK have been raided by police forces and anti piracy body Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) over recent months.
The raids, which started in November, took place in 13 areas in Britain with the focus being on 30 suppliers who are currently selling the devices.
As many of us are already aware, it is illegal to stream paywalled content for free.
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It's not illegal to own a 'dodgy' firestick, but it is to sell them, or stream content off it.
Streaming services which charge a monthly fee to access its content, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ have fell victim to jailbroken firesticks.
And using one to watch Premier League football on Sky Sports and TNT is a big no-no and breaks copyright law.
A 42-year-old man has since been arrested in Newport on suspicion of selling firesticks, whilst others received cease-and-desist letters.
This comes after Jonathan Edge, 29, from Liverpool, received a three-year jail term last month for selling and using illegal firesticks.
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FACT has revealed that a two-week enforcement operation is currently underway.
"Our cease-and-desist measures are not just warnings—they are the first step toward holding offenders accountable," CEO of FACT, Kieron Sharp, said.
"Many who ignored these notices in the past are now facing arrest and criminal charges. We strongly advise anyone involved in these activities to stop immediately.
“If you’re supplying or using illicit streaming devices or illegal IPTV subscriptions, take this as a clear warning: you are breaking the law and risk facing serious consequences.
“We will continue working with police to track down and shut down these illegal operations. The police across the UK have been unstinting in their efforts to tackle this criminality and we are grateful for their assistance.
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“To those using illegal streaming services, the message is that you’re not just committing a crime; you are putting yourself at risk. These services often expose users to malware, scams, and data theft, with no recourse when things go wrong.
“The safest, smartest and only choice is to stick to legitimate providers for your entertainment."
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There are currently a handful of Amazon Fire Sticks on offer ahead of Christmas.
These include the Fire TV Stick 4k (currently £34.99 down from £59.99) which allows users to stream thousands of films and TV shows on Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+.
It also features Alexa Voice control and is compatible with devices like lights, thermostats and smart cameras.