The MultiChoice Group has hailed the arrest of a suspect linked to piracy racket, Waka TV. The latest arrest in Gauteng comes just weeks after police arrested a suspect in the Western Cape.
The suspect was arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) in Gauteng earlier this week, thanks to an ongoing investigation by MultiChoice, broadcasting cyber security anti-piracy company, Irdeto and local law enforcement agencies, on charges of contravening various acts, including the Cybercrime Act and Copyright Act.
He was granted bail and is due back in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on June 18.
According to MultiChoice, the man allegedly managed several pirate customers and resellers, as well as illegally distributed live TV channels, including several DStv channels, movies, and series.
"The disruption caused by this raid is a significant blow to the illegal streaming industry in Africa," the group said.
This huge milestone follows the successful raid and arrest of a key suspect in May, in the Western Cape.
Irdeto's Frikkie Jonker said digital piracy has become a widespread practice.
"Acts of piracy, ranging from illegal streaming to black-market digital piracy, are forms of copyright infringement that undermine the efforts of content providers and the software industry. They also pose a digital threat to the commercial distribution of content," he said.
MultiChoice said the arrests are just the tip of the iceberg of a series of planned operations against illegal streaming outlets, across the country.
"MultiChoice is actively working with the South African Police Service, as investigations continue into the thousands of individuals connected to these pirate networks. Resellers supporting these illegal operations are also under investigation. This collaborative effort aims to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice," the group said.
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