Italian police block 1.5 million illegal streaming accounts

MILAN: Italian police have blocked 1.5 million users that were illegally streaming content from providers including Netflix Inc, Comcast’s Sky unit, DAZN and domestic broadcaster Mediaset.

A police statement said that more than 200 officers were involved in the operation, which led to 45 people being charged for alleged conspiracy to illegally access IT infrastructure and commit fraud.

Police said the seizing of a large central IT system in the Sicilian town of Messina had ensured the blocking of 80% of content illegally streamed over the internet through so-called internet protocol (IP) television.