Photo Credit: Pro-Música Brasil
IFPI and Pro-Música Brasil take down 1,720 infringing domains and music apps in Brazil’s ongoing ‘Operation 404.’
With support from IFPI and Pro-Música Brasil, Brazilian law enforcement has completed a substantial series of actions as part of the ongoing Operation 404, an initiative tackling copyright and license-infringing services on the internet.
One of the most extensive copyright infringement campaigns, Operation 404 includes a range of actions targeting unlicensed music services. The operation has already achieved wide-ranging success resulting in the suspension of nearly 1,000 domains, the removal of 720 infringing music apps, and the delivery of 96 search warrants. These actions involved the combined efforts of the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, local cybercrime police units, and law enforcement authorities abroad.
INDECOPI, the Peruvian Copyright Office, has engaged with Operation 404 for the first time since 2019, working with Brazilian authorities to shut down a significant web ring with more than 72 domains dedicated to music piracy, including mp3 download and stream-ripping sites.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian authorities have ordered the removal of 63 additional stream-ripping mobile apps from Brazilian app stores and initiated actions against a group responsible for pre-release infringements. The Police IP Crime Unit, City of London Police, a strategic partner to Brazilian authorities for Operation 404, has planned additional disruptive actions related to several infringing sites.
“As a result of the coordinated work of the Brazilian authorities, together with the relevant agencies, Operation 404 continues to make important progress by disrupting unlicensed music services on a large scale,” says Melissa Morgia, IFPI’s Director of Global Content Protection and Enforcement. “We thank and commend all the authorities and agencies involved in carrying out these actions for their ongoing collaboration and support in protecting music creators’ content.”
“Operation 404, run by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice with the support of several enforcement agencies at both national and international levels, has established itself with its many waves throughout the last five years, including this last one, as a key element in enforcing music creators’ rights and protecting such rights from criminal organizations that are operating in the online environment,” adds Paulo Rosa, Director, Pro-Música Brasil. “I join IFPI in thanking all authorities and agencies involved.”