Gardaí from the Intellectual Property and Crime Unit (IPCU) of the Gardaí National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, carried out on operation cracking down on illegal IPTV streaming services on Tuesday 11 September.
Searches were carried out on houses in Crumlin and Ashbourne and four arrests were made. Two women (aged 37 and 40 years) and two men (aged 42 and 45 years) were arrested under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act in Crumlin and Ashbourne Gardaí Stations and were later released.
They were arrested for offences under the Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000 and the Criminal Justice Act, 2010.
The operation was carried out in conjuction with police forces in England and Scotland, while also receiving significant support from major TV companies and the Motion Picture Association.
The operation yesterday is supported by the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Gardaí National Cyber Crime Bureau and local Gardaí in Crumlin and Ashbourne. A total of €84,000 has been frozen in bank and credit union accounts in connection with the operation.
Detective Superintendent George Kyne of the Gardaí National Bureau of Criminal Investigation said: "This is an organised criminal enterprise where consumers are funding criminality and depriving genuine industry of legitimate revenue. Consumers are providing their payment details to unknown individuals and leaving themselves open to being the victims of fraud and/or data theft.
"The security around these devices and illegal streaming platforms exposes customers and leaves their home systems vulnerable. It is important that the public is aware of the impact of illegal streaming and its consequences."
