Eight areas targeted in new dodgy Fire TV stick crackdown

Penalties of up to £50,000 for those caught

Users are able to watch premium channels like Sky, Netflix, Disney+ and TNT Sports without paying, by using Illegal Fire Sticks and “dodgy boxes”, which are devices loaded with shady software.

However, these viewers could face prosecution as officials warn it is a serious crime.

Cheltenham Free To Play Predictor: Receive £5 free bet each day and win share of £1,000 jackpot!

Playing JOE x BOYLE Sports' Free To Play Predictor game for the Cheltenham Festival is simple - we’ve picked out one horse running in each of the first five races every day of Cheltenham, and all you need to do is decide if it will Win, Place or finish Unplaced!

The latest swoop is part of an ongoing campaign, “Operation Eider”, which is led by anti-piracy group Federation Against Copyright Theft.

As part of the nationwide operation, three arrests were made in Merseyside last year.

Merseyside Police in December of last year arrested a couple that was suspected of supplying illegal streaming services and seized electronic devices for examination.

It followed a bust in October when a man was held suspicion of selling streaming devices in Birkenhead.

Police revealed that all suspects have been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

In the latest crackdown, the eight areas targeted are London, the South West, North West, North East, Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.

“These arrests reflect the results of our intelligence-led investigations and the strength of our partnerships with UK law enforcement”, FACT chairman Kieron Sharp said.

“It may appear harmless, but illegal streaming fuels organised crime and puts viewers at real risk, from scams and malware to data theft.”

If an individual is caught supplying and watching illegal streaming, they could face penalties of up to £50,000.