Video entertainment group MultiChoice is continuing to make some gains in its fight against piracy.
In a statement, the DStv operator says yesterday, a successful raid was conducted in Gauteng, with the support of police detectives from Eldorado Park Police Station.
This operation is part of a series of ongoing anti-piracy efforts, following recent successful raids in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Last month, the company announced two arrests of suspected video streaming pirates, in its ongoing commitment to combating the piracy challenge it has faced over the years.
These operations underscore MultiChoice’s commitment to combating digital piracy and protecting the creative industry, it notes.
In the latest raid, the suspect, Jurgen Johannes Potgieter, was arrested for selling login credentials and internet streaming pirate devices, which enabled illegal access to premium content.
According to MutiChoice, these actions are in direct contravention of sections within the Cybercrime Act. Additionally, the suspect faces charges of money laundering, it adds.
The suspect has been detained and will appear at the Lenasia Magistrate Court today. Several equipment was also confiscated by the police during the raid and will be thoroughly analysed.
“This raid highlights our continuous efforts to dismantle illegal operations that undermine the creative industry,” says director of broadcast cyber security and anti-piracy at Irdeto, Frikkie Jonker. Irdeto is MultiChoice’s cyber security subsidiary.
“More raids are imminent as we intensify our efforts to combat digital piracy. The professionalism displayed by the police before and during the raid was exemplary and contributed significantly to the operation's success,” adds Jonker.
The company notes that Partners Against Piracy, an Africa-wide multi-stakeholder initiative, is working alongside local governments and prosecutors to actively address the issue of copyright infringement.
It explains that the initiative aims to strengthen government agencies through collaboration to facilitate information sharing, enforce IP laws more strongly and combat privacy.
Among these agencies are the Serious Commercial Crime Unit of the Hawks, South African Police Services and the cyber crime units in various provinces.
To cast a wider net for tracking down copyright infringement activities, these stakeholders are also collaborating with IP rights holders such as MultiChoice and internet service providers.
Public awareness initiatives are also part of efforts to educate people on the ill effects of digital piracy on creators, industries and the economy as a whole.
“Content piracy involves the unauthorised acquisition, use, sharing or selling of copyrighted content. Put simply, piracy is stealing,” MultiChoice concludes.
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