UK areas targeted in crackdown on dodgy Amazon firesticks

Police across the UK are continuing their crackdown on illegal streaming operations involving modified Amazon Fire TV Sticks.

These 'jailbroken' or 'modded' devices are altered by vendors to give users free access to paid streaming services to watch sport, TV and films, which violates the Fraud Act.

Amazon has joined the fight by introducing the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which now runs on a new operating system rather than Android, making it harder for hackers to install unauthorized apps.

The 'ongoing' investigation targets more than 30 suppliers, according to the Metro, including a 42-year-old man from Newport who was arrested for selling illicit Fire Sticks, while others received cease-and-desist notices.

Authorities, working with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), have carried out raids, seized devices, and have targeted some 16 areas throughout the UK.

Areas targeted in ‘dodgy’ Fire Stick raids

Authorities are cracking down on illegal Amazon Fire TV Sticks (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

• Cheshire

• East and West Midlands

• Greater Manchester

• Kent

• Lincolnshire

• London

• Merseyside

• Norfolk

• North East England

• North West England

• North Yorkshire

• Northamptonshire

• Northumbria

• South Wales

• Staffordshire

• Sussex

Jonathan Edge, 29, from Liverpool, was also given a three-year jail sentence for continuing to sell illegal streaming devices after repeated warnings and legal action from the Premier League.

Back in July, Stephen Woodward, 36, of Front Street, Thirsk, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison.

Anti-piracy body Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) is working with police to crackdown on illegal streaming operations (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Police said he 'sold illegal access to copyrighted content through the websites IPTV Hosting, Helix Hosting and Black and White TV'.

He used the £1 million he pocketed 'to buy designer clothes and jewellery, holidays and a Jaguar F-Type V8 coupe worth £91,000'.

"His brother, Christopher Woodward, received £126,000 derived from the sales of the illegal streaming websites," police said.

Woodward, 34, of Dalton Moor, was sentenced to 15 months behind bars.

A previous statement shared with LADbible from Kieron Sharp, Chairman of FACT, reads: “FACT’s enforcement activities against illegal streaming are ongoing throughout the year.

"Together with our partners and the police, we constantly review new intelligence and target those areas of the UK and Ireland where the data shows that illegal streaming activity is taking place.

"Our investigations are thorough, and we are relentless in our determination to stop illegal streaming and bring offenders to justice.

"To avoid jeopardising operations that are in progress, we do not share details publicly until enforcement action has been completed."