The Many Evils Of Piracy, Catalyst Behind Illicit Finance, Terrorism And Terror Funding
The revenue generated by piracy channels, illegal streaming sites could fuel organised crime and terrorism. So next time you watch your favourite TV shows, live sports, or blockbuster movies, be mindful of the fact that your source of entertainment may carry grave threat too.
'This is giving income to run terrorist groups... They are helping terrorist activity indirectly. Viewers should not watch pirated content," according to Zeebiz sources.
Investigators tracking the murky trail of illegal Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services have issued similar warnings from time to time. Authorities say that by subscribing to these platforms, viewers are indirectly helping terrorist activity -- and that is why viewers must use discretion while agreeing to consumer pirated content immediately.
At the center of this alarming web, as exposed by investigations and legal actions, is Boss IPTV, one of the world's largest illegal IPTV networks, according to Zeebiz sources.
Authorities Crack Down On Boss IPTV And Affiliate Illegal IPTV Services
A couple of months ago a major international crackdown uncovered an extensive illegal Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) operation streaming pirated content across various digital platforms. Operating under brand names such as Boss IPTV, Guru IPTV, Tashan IPTV, Brampton IPTV, Vois IPTV, Indian IPTV, Punjabi IPTV, Edmonton IPTV, Boss Entertainment IPTV, and UltrastreamTV, this unlawful network has been implicated in severe copyright infringement and data privacy violations.
According to police, these services have been illegally broadcasting premium Indian and international content including channels and programs from Star, Zee Network, Colors, Sony, Sun Network, ETV, Aha, Sonyliv, as well as global streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and international sports leagues—without securing proper licenses or permissions.
Delivered through Android/Linux-based set-top boxes or via apps on smart devices, the illegal services were aggressively promoted online via social media, websites, and blogs, offering premium content at prices significantly below legal services.
Global South Asian Broadcast Sector Loses Upto $300 Million Annually Due To Piracy
Government investigations reveal that these platforms do not pay content owners or platforms for rights, deeply harming the entertainment industry. The global South Asian broadcast sector loses an estimated $200–$300 million annually due to IPTV piracy, affecting licensed platforms like YuppTV. In addition to economic damage, there are serious security concerns: pirated IPTV services often harvest user data—such as credit card information—and are linked to phishing scams, tax evasion, and potentially funding other illegal operations including drug trade and terrorism.
Previously in 2021, following a complaint filed by YuppTV, the Faridabad Cyber Crime Branch conducted a raid on Boss IPTV operations in India, leading to the arrest of six individuals connected to the illegal piracy network.
YuppTV has further filed a civil complaint in the United States District Court, represented by Goldstein Law Group, LLC ('GLP') targeting Boss IPTV and its affiliated entities. The complaint highlights severe violations of U.S. federal copyright law under 18 U.S.C. § 2319. According to GLP:
'Any subscriber using illegal IPTV pirate services... may be linked to copyright infringement, a crime under U.S. federal law. Convictions may result in felony charges, and non-citizens convicted of such offenses may be subject to deportation under U.S. law.'
Recently, another similar case was reported by the Gandhinagar Cyber Crime Unit in Gujarat which arrested Mohammed Murtuza Ali, suspected to be the key figure behind another massive illegal IPTV operation known as Bos IPTV. Operating from Jalandhar, Punjab, Ali allegedly ran a piracy network that drew over five million subscribers and generated close to Rs 700 crore (US $84 million) in annual revenue.
Legal authorities suggest that to avoid the possibility of arrest and other penalties, all current users accessing pirated services immediately discontinue use and migrate to legal, licensed platforms such as YuppTV. Visit www.yupptv.com to obtain legal, authorized access to Indian content.
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