Inside The ₹30 Crore Noida Piracy Bust: How 10,000 Subscribers Got Fooled

PrimeLinc: The Tool of Choice

The Noida Cyber Crime Unit has dismantled a massive international piracy setup, using PrimeLinc devices to convert standard TVs into smart ones. These Android-based set-top boxes were manipulated to stream pirated content to over 10,000 subscribers across the globe. NRIs in the US, Canada, Australia, and the Gulf were the primary targets of this operation, which illegally offered premium OTT content, live TV channels, and even paid adult content.

Police arrested six individuals in Noida, though the alleged mastermind remains at large overseas. The accused, including Tanishka, Anil Baghel, and others, were between 20 and 28 years old. They posed as representatives of top streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and others, offering "discounted" subscription packages through entities like Webbiz Services LLC.

A Modus Operandi to Fool the Masses

Noida Police’s cyber crime team, led by Sachin Dhama, discovered that the gang tampered with the MAC addresses of PrimeLinc devices. This allowed them to bypass restrictions and stream pirated content such as live sports and international channels. The breadth of content spanned several languages, catering especially to overseas audiences.

“They made it appear as if the consumer was receiving a legitimate subscription, but after some time the access would be cancelled, and money would be demanded again under various pretexts,” explained Deputy Commissioner of Police Yamuna Prasad.

The service pulled in major revenue, with the Indian operators netting over ₹10 crore annually, and foreign entities making over ₹30 crore. Payments were processed in US dollars via online gateways and layered transactions. Alarmingly, 25 call centre operators, unaware of their involvement in piracy, handled customer support under the guise of legitimate business operations.

Tracking Down the Digital Trail

The operation went to great lengths to secure and expand its subscriber base, even purchasing personal data from illegal sources. Using phone numbers, they added NRIs to social media groups and conducted cold calls to pitch their illegal service. Police seized numerous devices during their raid, unearthing digital records pointing to extensive international dealings.

Authorities have moved to freeze bank accounts linked to the accused and are tracking the flow of money across borders. The group also engaged in advanced cybercrime techniques to intercept communications and steal sensitive information. An FIR has been filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other cyber fraud laws.

Industry experts note that this case underscores the sophisticated misuse of technology and payment systems in digital piracy. As one executive highlighted, “Piracy today is no longer about small illegal websites – it has evolved into organised, subscription-based businesses that mirror legitimate OTT models.”