"Police Shutter 13,000 Sites in Piracy Crackdown"

According to Europol, a wide-ranging effort to disrupt counterfeiting and online piracy across the EU resulted in the closure of 12,526 websites hosting illegal content.  As of Cyber Monday, police disconnected 32 servers used to distribute the content for 2294 television channels.  They also shuttered 15 online stores selling counterfeit products on social media sites and seized 127,365 fake clothes, watches, shoes, accessories, perfumes, electronics, and other items worth over 3.8m euros ($3.9m).  Europol noted that law enforcers across 27 countries participated in Europol’s 13th Operation In Our Sites, which ran from May 1 to November 14.  Europol warned that a growing number of counterfeit items are made today inside the EU and that IP-related offenses are increasingly linked to serious and organized crime.  In total, 10 search warrants were issued, and 14 people were detained or accused of IP crimes, including four who were arrested in Spain.  According to Europol, the prime suspect, in this case, had been earning 150,000 euros per month, lived in a luxury villa, drove expensive cars, and took luxury holidays worldwide.  Meanwhile, police in Bulgaria probed a criminal network using Facebook accounts and websites to sell counterfeit clothes imitating well-known brands.  Workshops featuring sewing and embossing machines were raided, and items worth 35,000 euros were seized.  Europol urged consumers to be on their guard when buying items online.  Europol added that social media channels are often used to promote e-commerce stores selling counterfeit products.  A Europol report released in March claimed that the value of counterfeit goods in 2019 was 119bn euros or nearly 6% of total EU imports.  However, Europol noted that the number has likely surged during the pandemic thanks to the expansion of e-commerce during the period.  

Infosecurity reports: "Police Shutter 13,000 Sites in Piracy Crackdown"