Top News

Millions of UK households have been warned of a police crackdown on using "dodgy" Amazon Fire sticks offering illegal streams. Alongside the danger of having their personal data harvested by the criminal cartels behind the cracked Fire TV stick streams, they could also soon be getting a knock on the door from the police.

A nationwide police crackdown code-named Operation Eider will initially focus on homes in 17 areas across the country. Payments made to the criminals who sell the Fire TV sticks are being traced back to bank accounts up and down the country, and anyone believed to have bought one of the devices could well face arrest in the coming weeks. Online bank Revolut has already been ordered to pass the names and addresses of some 300 suspected dodgy Fire TV stick users to Sky by the Irish High Court.

An officer involved in the operation, speaking anonymously to the Daily Mail, said: "We are relentless in our determination to stop illegal streaming and bring offenders to justice."

Detective Chief Inspector Alethea Fowler, of the Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit in southern Wales, added: "Criminals rarely stop at just one income stream, and by purchasing illicit goods - such as an illegal streaming service fire stick - you are enabling further forms of criminality, often involving exploitation and harm."

• London
• Cheshire
• Kent
• Sussex
• Norfolk
• Northamptonshire
• Lincolnshire
• Derbyshire
• Staffordshire
• East Midlands
• West Midlands
• Greater Manchester
• Merseyside
• Northumbria
• North Yorkshire
• Some addresses in Scotland
• Some addresses in Wales

Viewers caught in possession of a dodgy Fire TV stick may well be let off with a caution - but in some cases offenders could face fines totalling thousands of pounds or even a prison sentence.

The operation is being undertaken in partnership with The Federation Against Copyright Theft. The organisation's chairman, Kieron Sharp, revealed: 'We have a wide range of enforcement options - from issuing cease and desist notices to 'knock and talk' visits - through to full criminal prosecutions where appropriate.

"We will take robust action against those involved - not only targeting sellers and distributors, but also those facilitating and profiting from the illegal activity."

Matt Hibbert, group director of anti-piracy at TV for Sky, dispelled the myth that watching pirated TV steams was somehow a "harmless" activity, and can carry a serious risk of having your bank account details or other personal information being hijacked by the hackers,

"People who watch illegal streams should know that it isn't a victimless crime," he said. "Recent research by campaigner BeStreamWise advises that nearly 65% of illegal streamers have faced security scares like malware through these unlawful methods."

A police source explained: "The virtual private network provided on the dodgy fire sticks to hide your illegal streaming habits can also be used by criminal networks.

"It includes software that creates an encrypted channel for internet traffic designed to protect online privacy and data. But users do not realise the criminals can also use your network channel for their own use - or to monitor your viewing habits. Your Fire TV stick could be supporting other criminal activity."

Amazon have also announced that the "side loading" feature that permitted the modification is being phased out in all of its new devices, firmly closing the door on the "dodgy stick" era.