Two arrested over pay television piracy scam

Australian Federal Police have today arrested two Victorian men in relation to an alleged syndicate producing illegal pay television cards, after executing 10 search warrants in three states.

Hundreds of fake pay television encryption cards and set-top decoders were seized in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland after an investigation which lasted six-months.

The AFP also seized $169,000 and several computers from a Sydney property, and 18 boxes of illegal fireworks that were allegedly being stored at a Victorian house.

A 43-year-old man from Mount Waverley and a 27-year-old man from Sebastopol will face court in Melbourne and Ballarat today.

They have been charged with making, distributing and selling fake smart cards or ‘gamma’ cards, which allow people to access the Foxtel and Austar pay television networks without a subscription.

Police say there may be as many as 50,000 fake pay television encryption cards now in use across Australia.

AFP National Manager Economic and Special Operations Paul Jevtovic said the operation reflects the successful cooperation between AFP and private industry in tackling criminal exploitation of intellectual property rights.

The two men have been charged with making, importing and selling unauthorized decoders contrary to Section 135 of the Copyright Act 1968, and with dealing with the proceeds of crime contrary to Section 400.3 and 400.5 of the Criminal Code Amendment Act 2002.

The maximum penalty for each of these offences is five years imprisonment.