Internet, Latvia, Legislation, Technology

Officers from the cybercrime department of the State Police had obtained information on two websites - www.movieslv.com and www.cinemalive.tv – that had been providing unlicensed streaming services to their users.

Based on this information, police in cooperation with the nongovernmental group For Legal Content identified the holders of the copyrights of the illegally streamed audio and video content. The estimated loss from the websites’ unlawful activities has exceeded EUR 200,000.

The law enforcement authorities have launched a criminal procedure over copyright infringement.

Investigators established that one of the aforementioned sites offered an unlicensed streaming of 2,500 films free of charge. The website had been operating since 2013 already. Most of the films were provided in Latvian and targeted audiences in Latvia. In 71 percent of cases people visited the websites from Latvia.

The investigation also established that the illegal service received 27,000 regular users per day who attracted new clients by promoting the service on social networks. The websites’ administrators made their profit from advertising on the sites.