Dodgy firestick crackdown: full list of areas targeted including Yorkshire - in illegal streaming clampdown
Dodgy fire sticks have become popular in recent years 📺
Yorkshire is among the areas that was targeted in a crackdown on so-called ‘dodgy firesticks’,
Police forces have teamed up with Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) to clampdown on illegal streaming devices. ‘Jailbroken’ devices loaded with pirated streams can allow viewers to watch live sports, TV, and movies, without having to pay.
The latest crackdown reportedly targeted eight areas across the country, including Yorkshire and the Humber, according to the Mirror Online. Officers have been going after suppliers of the ‘dodgy firesticks’ in particular.
It is not the first clampdown operation on illegal streaming devices to take place, with a major one happening just before Christmas 2024. See where it was carried out here.
The full list of areas targeted in this latest sting include: London, the South West, North West, North East, Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.
FACT chairman Kieron Sharp said: “FACT's enforcement activities against illegal streaming are ongoing throughout the year.
“Together with our partners and the police, we constantly review new intelligence and target those areas of the UK and Ireland where the data shows that illegal streaming activity is taking place.
“Our investigations are thorough, and we are relentless in our determination to stop illegal streaming and bring offenders to justice. To avoid jeopardising operations that are in progress, we do not share details publicly until enforcement action has been completed."
Last year a man from Halifax, who sold modified streaming devices was jailed for two years.
Sunny Kumar Kanda, 40, of Creek View, Wheatley, sold the ‘dodgy’ TV fire sticks to consumers knowing that they provided unauthorised access to premium subscriber content to premium television content from legitimate providers such as Sky, BT Sport, Disney+ and Netflix.
He was sentenced to two years in prison at York Crown Court on January 3 2025. He was caught after an undercover sting by a FACT investigator, who made a test purchase of the advertised fire stick.
After analysis, it was uncovered that the fire stick had been modified to provide unauthorised access to premium film, television, and live sports content using applications called The Vodfather XC and Plex.