Major Anti-Piracy Operation in Argentina Dismantles Global IPTV Network

By Estudio Chaloupka

Authorities in Argentina have successfully dismantled a criminal network operating illegal IPTV services, which reached over eight million users worldwide, with a potential audience exceeding twenty million. The network, centered in Argentina, distributed unauthorized audiovisual content under widely recognized pirate brands, affecting markets across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, and beyond.

The raids were ordered by the Juzgado de Garantías N.º 4 of San Isidro, following an investigation led by the Fiscalía de Ciberdelitos of San Isidro (UFEIC). The operations were conducted in four sophisticated office buildings in Vicente López, Buenos Aires Province, and executed by the Buenos Aires Province Police’s cybercrime unit (DDI of San Isidro).

Among the illegal services shut down were platforms such as My Family Cinema, TV Express, Eppi Cinema, Weiv TV, Red Play, Duna TV, Boto TV, Break TV, VTV, Blue TV, Super TV Premium, HOT, ONpix, PLUSTV, Mix, Venga TV, ALA TV, Pulse TV, Football Zone, Nossa TV, MegaTV+, Cineduo, Megamax+, GTV, Nebuplus, and Onda TV. These platforms supplied the majority of “TV Box” devices in the market, including brands like Duosat and BTV, enabling widespread illegal access to audiovisual content across multiple continents.

Investigators also discovered that the network operated through legally registered companies in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Singapore, China, Colombia, the United States, and Canada, with a central hub in Argentina. Companies linked to the operation included Valoroso, Space Place Consulting, Goose, BitKernel, Peliplat, and FatFish Media, some of which offered seemingly legitimate services, such as Peliplat and Doozy TV.

The scale and sophistication of this network underscore the global nature of IPTV piracy. Beyond the economic impact on rights holders and content creators, users of these illegal services face significant cybersecurity risks, including malware, fraud, and data theft.