LAST UPDATE | 6 Feb

GARDAÍ HAVE SHUT down an illegal streaming service in Galway city, closing almost 200 accounts in the process.

As part of an operation targeting illegal TV streaming services and money laundering offences, gardaí searched a home in Rahoon, near Salthill.

It’s understood the operation primarily targeted the streaming of Sky TV’s products.

Illicit streaming is a copyright offence under Section 140 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000.

Members of the Galway County West Crime Unit, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau searched the house in Rahoon, near Salthill.

Electronic devices were seized by Gardaí and almost 200 accounts believed to be linked to an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) streaming service were shut down.

No arrests have been made at this time according to gardaí.

“A file will be prepared for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,” a garda spokesperson said.

Recent years have seen Sky try to restrict the growing use of illegal streaming, as it’s argued that it’s losing significant sums of money to the devices being able to broadcast television and sports without the need for a more expensive subscription.