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An international meeting to prepare for the next phase of the transnational operation "Kratos 3" was held in Sofia, coordinated by the Cybercrime Directorate of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDBOP).
This Bulgarian initiative—which has once again secured the trust and support of Europol—aims to dismantle illegal streaming platforms and illicit IP television services across EU member states and third countries.
It is being carried out in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector—with the participation of AARA (the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance), EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office), Interpol, UEFA, and others—and with the support of EMPACT (the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats).
During the meeting, the results of previous operations and investigations were reviewed, and future priorities and joint actions were outlined.
Through collaborative efforts, Operation "Kratos 2" identified 722,961 copyright-infringing items, led to the removal of over 27,000 illegal streaming URLs across 13 countries, and resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals; additionally, nine organized crime groups linked to this activity were dismantled, along with 86 associated individuals. Investigative actions were carried out at 148 locations, and access was gained to infrastructure and systems containing millions of files serving as evidence of illegal operations.
The event took place against the backdrop of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, which set new global viewership records and—consequently—sparked attempts to engage audiences not only with the event itself but also with illegal betting, various forms of high-risk gambling, and advertisements and activities linked to the grey market, all entirely organized and funded by online criminal piracy groups.
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