Partners Against Piracy (PAP) Association of Kenya has lauded the Kenya Copyright Board (Kecobo) for a successful sting operation against a major streaming company operating in Kenya.
This comes after Kecobo, together with Irdeto and the Kenyan Police, busted individuals selling premium streaming content in Kaplombe Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, illegally.
According to Kecobo and Irdeto, the suspects, led by the alleged mastermind Engineer Kelvin Kiplangat Sing’oei, were arrested during the raid, which was conducted by the Kenyan Police’s Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), a unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday in Kaplombe Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
A large amount of equipment, including computers, phones, and bank cards, was seized and will be forwarded to the CID Cyber Crime Unit for further analysis.
Irdeto (https://irdeto.com/), a world leader in digital platform security, played an instrumental role in providing crucial intelligence and assistance that led to this successful enforcement action.
According to PAP Chairman Mike Strano, producing African content for African audiences’ stops being profitable or worthwhile and piracy continues production stops.
He said that the creative industries of Kenya and Africa will be the biggest losers.
“If piracy succeeds, consumers will be reduced to making do with poor quality entertainment, old content, and content that does not fulfill the needs of their community or their culture,” said Strano.
According to PAP, content piracy globally is at an all-time high.
High-quality content and advanced streaming technology have become more easily available and easier for pirates to illegally acquire and redistribute content for illicit profits; which are documented to also fund other crimes, including identity theft and trafficking.
“Internet streaming piracy is not only a criminal offense, but also poses serious risks to consumers who may have their personal data, including banking information, compromised by pirate operations,” added Strano.
“PAP Kenya would like to emphasize that engaging in internet streaming piracy is illegal, and like-minded stakeholders will continue to fight against this form of theft, leaving no stone unturned.”
At the same time, PAP urged consumers to be cautious and vigilant when accessing online content and to only use legitimate sources.
Such sites, it said, expose consumers to the risk of having their personal data and devices used illegally and even ransomed by pirate operations.
PAP thanked Kecobo, Irdeto, and the Kenyan Police for their continued support in addressing all broadcasting piracy and internet-sharing piracy-related matters in Kenya.
“Their professionalism and assistance have been invaluable in our ongoing efforts to combat illegal streaming activities,” said Strano.
PAP is a multi-stakeholder coalition of like-minded organizations within the creative industry keen to eliminate piracy, and the threat it poses to livelihoods, society, and personal security.
