Police reveal the hidden victims of IPTV and illegal streaming and it's not Sky Sports or Netflix

Police in the United Kingdom have issued a strong statement declaring who you are supporting when you use illegal streaming and IPTV (Internet Protocol television) services.

There is an ongoing battle between authorities and copyright holders and those offering premium content for free or discount fees.

Millions of people across the world sign up to IPTV services that give you content from the likes of the Premier League and Sky Sports, Netflix, and Disney+ for extremely cheap fees.

The services themselves are run by organised criminals in a huge breach of copyright law, often with IPTV apps sideloaded on to devices such as a jailbroken Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Millions is lost in revenue every single year by those who own the copyrighted material that is being distributed by others. But police have now moved to shine a light on the real victims of the process.

It comes after a strike day by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) targeting fraud and illegal streaming of premium Sky content

Officers last week executed a warrant in Stockton-on-Tees that is believed to be involved in an illegal streaming operation involving fraud and money laundering. The specialist police operation resulted in a 52-year-old man being arrested under suspicion of supplying articles for use in fraud and money laundering.

IPTV showing premium content for free or for a discounted fee is illegal (Getty Stock Images)

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue. Officers at the scene also seized a large quantity of clothing believed to be counterfeit.

Detective Sergeant James Woodcock, who works in NEROCU’s Proactive Economic Crime Team (PECT), explained what you're doing if you buy in to illegal streaming services - and who it hurts most.

"This action demonstrates the full extent of our resources and the intelligence at our disposal to take action against those breaking the law," DS Woodcock said.

Content from Netflix is often pirated by IPTV services (Phil Barker/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

“While most people think paying for illegal streaming devices and services is a victimless crime – this couldn’t be further from the truth.

"Illegal streaming services that supply entertainment and sports content via modified boxes, firesticks, and subscriptions, help fund wider organised crime such as human trafficking, child sexual exploitation, drug supply and other sinister crimes."

On a personal level you'e also opening yourself up to risks to yourself including fraud, scams, viruses, and malware.

An Amazon Fire TV Stick is often used by pirates to provide illegal streaming access (Wikimedia Commons)

Matt Hibbert, Director of Anti-Piracy, UK and ROI, at Sky said: “We’d like to thank the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit for taking robust action to tackle illegal streaming, bring those responsible to justice, and help keep consumers safe from risks of accessing illegal content.”

It comes as police elsewhere in the UK made an honest admission about IPTV and the real reasons why people might opt to pay for illicit offerings. It's certainly a murky picture.