In the ongoing effort against movie piracy, top providers have become gleaming targets. Largely responsible for introducing highly sought after material, top providers are a highly competitive entity that prioritize public recognition over associated risks. Earlier this morning, several top warez providers found themselves shut down at the hands of local police and the entertainment industry.

At approximately 10 AM, local police in a wide coordinated effort raided over 300 homes and offices associated with top warez providers. The raids took place in Germany, Austria, Holland, Poland and the Czech Republic. According to GVU (translated to German Federation Against Copyright Theft), over 30 individuals were arrested in the raids.

The raids also yielded over 20 servers, which provided FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access to individuals belonging to the release groups. GVU claims the warez groups were responsible for the proliferation "of illegal copies of films, computer games, music and user software." The enforcement raids were the culmination of the GVU's investigative efforts, with legal follow-through provided by the prosecutor's offices in Duesseldorf and Frankfurt.

Rumors of the bust began circulating online today, as members attempted to warn each other. According to warning notices online, the following top providers have, for all intents and purposes, been eliminated; RELOADED, KNIGHTS, TFCiSO, Cinemaniacs, German-Friend, ParadieseBeach and Klapsmuehle. In addition, the leader of RELOADED was reported as arrested during the raids. It should be noted however, the GVU has not confirmed the closure or arrest of anyone associated with RELOADED.

However, the GVU did confirm the following release groups were eliminated; Unreality, DRAGON, Laboratory, Heaven, code talk, GTR, ECP, TRCD, AOS, MRM, SITH, GWL, Cine VCD, AHE, Cinemaniacs, dump station and IOH. In an update to their press release, GVU stated the largest seizure occurred in Vienna, Austria. According to GVU, the release group "flip mill" (formerly "Paradise Beach") contained the most pirated material. The raid yelled two computers, 28 independent hard drives connected via fiber optic cable with the storage potential of 4 Terabytes. Close cooperation between the GVU and the Austrian VAP (Association for Anti-piracy of Film) led to the closure of "flip mill" along with three other servers located in Vienna.

The pursuit of top providers is a primary concern to the entertainment industry, as the proliferation of pirated material often begins with these organizations. From these FTP sources, pirated material (especially movies) trickle down to the Newsgroups, IRC, BitTorrent and finally P2P networks. Initially these raids may place a damper on of pirated material. However, the allure of public recognition is simply too great for many to avoid. With time, their role in the online warez community will most likely be replaced.

**RELOADED's Leader Wasn't Arrested It Was Someone With The Same Handle**


-THE ORIGINAL GVU (GERMAN MPAA) Article-

Press release of 24.01.2006 (inclusive updates of 30.01.06)


BOX STOP - international search action on over 300 places in thing "pirat copies"

Around point 10,00 o'clock to 24.01.2006 started a large-scale international raid on far over 300 places in Germany, Austria, Holland, Poland and the Czech republic. Those approx. 30 main suspects are accused of to large extent against copyright to have offended. InterNet servers (called in the scene language also BOXES) were seized, those the origin for the massive ing of illegal copies of films, computer games, music and user software in the InterNet to represent. Extensive determinations of the GVU gave impact to the search action. It supported also the central determinations, the Staatsanwaltschaft Duesseldorf and the public prosecutor's office Frankfurt/Main (PP Frankfurt, K33, AG-iuk). In addition das Landeskriminalamt determined a bathing Wuerttemberg.



Substantial starting point of the determinations were the results of the evaluations computer already guaranteed, which as if sucked. "servers" under names such as UNR - Unreality, DRAGON, Laboratory, finally Heaven and code talk in enterprise were, as well as about the analysis of two at the search time still active boxes (dump station and IOH), which served for the massive ing of pirat copies in the InterNet [ more to it under the down listed left to the GVU Internetseite ]. By letters rogatory the prosecution authorities of the other countries were then consulted. "InterNet criminality does not know national borders. Therefore the co-operation of the prosecution authorities succeeded so importantly and in this case outstanding ", so to yokes Tielke, managing director of the GVU. although those persons, who for the fast and far ing of German-language versions of current motion picture films in the InterNet are responsible, in Germany is, shifts it increasingly their hardware locations into other countries. "we lead back on our work in co-operation with the authorities, which led to increased precautionary measures with the Erstveroeffentlichern. Box stop shows that they can be determined however nevertheless "warn Tielke.



The ing of pirat copies does not happen arbitrarily and uncontrolled, as many assume, but has its origin been made in the illegal publications Releasegroups so mentioned and by their central server. This Releasegroups, in which approximately 300-400 persons living in Germany are organized, usually procures itself the pictorial material from the USA and connects it then with the German clay/tone material produced usually in Germany. The quality of the tones reaches from less good microphone photographs to high-quality digital reductions of the originaltoene. A German-language original gives it at this time not yet. Only after too sucked the illegal copies of the central servers of the groups. Payservern arrived, take place their massive ing: In the InterNet for example over portal sides like "ftp world" (s. press release of 16.09.2004), exchange stock exchanges (Peer ton of Peer of nets) or InterNet auction houses. Outside of the digital market in the InterNet in Germany usually burned copies are over flea markets or also simply over personal contacts.



Servers of the first ing stage (central server) and the second stage (Payserver/Payboxen) were seized. Those probably the largest German-language Movie Paybox "flip mill" and/or. "Paradise Beach" was taken with the today's action box stop by the net. In addition the central servers of the Releasegroups most meaning at present (GTR, ECP, TRCD, AOS, MRM, SITH, GWL, Cine VCD, AHE, Cinemaniacs) were guaranteed. Altogether more than 20 servers were pulled from traffic, which are to be assigned all to the ing stages, from which the surface covering supply of illegal copies went out. On these servers lay latest current films, Games, music pieces and user programs in usually very good quality. Also high-quality material of DVDs, whose copy protection became gone around (serrated), sucked. Retail material, was guaranteed on the servers.

PICTORIAL MATERIAL
Pictures with these PM within the press range of the GVU Internetseite within the press range under Bilderdownload: http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/download_pics.php?navId=30
At present two pictures are available in connection with box stop for the Download: A representation of the avalanche-like ing process of pirat copies over several stages of the groups of releases over P2P to the final consumer and a picture of the server UNR Unreality.



FORERUNNER BOX STOP
Information to the searches, which led to the action "box stop", reads you in the following press releases:
1) determination complex Coburg: PM of 02.12.2005 under http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/presse_m/presse_m_035.php
2) FTL: PM of 21.04.2005 under http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/presse_m/presse_m_022.php
3) UNR: PM of 11.03.2004 - http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/presse_m/presse_m_011.php



NAME of the GROUPS OF RELEASES
GTR - > globetrotters
MRM - > Monkey Releasing Movies
TRCD - > T H E - R E A L - C i N E M A - D R E A M
ECP - > E X T R A O R D i N A R Y C i N E P R O D U C E R
AOS - > ARMY OF SECRETS
AHE - > Atzes Home Entertainment
GWL - > Getit Watchit Loveit
Sith - > no Longname
Cinemaniacs - > no name contraction available





UPDATE 30,01,06 19:15 Uhr
GVU to current determination success "box stop"



Successful international impact clouded by sensation-hungry reporting
Hasty medium reports as well as a search with the GVU left "box stop", which appears smaller to largest impact of the last years against the organized groups of the robbery copier scene than he was: Three public prosecutor's offices in things actually determined "box stop" in 8 countries and approx. 300 places. Altogether were over 160 suspects affected by this international measure.



Wrong one opposite suspecting the GVU
In particular the wrong suspicion that the GVU had exceeded itself with these determinations it as private organization set the limits, was in the course of the reporting over box stop in the media. This suspicion does not exist with the responsible public prosecutor's office, such a speaker of the Ellwanger public prosecutor's office opposite the press agency of DPA (to 25.01.06): The GVU is not as accused one of, but scanned in the role of the witness. The data were needed for an alignment with other guaranteed data. Naturally the GVU determines also in the scene of the robbery copiers, otherwise one the larger would have impacts of the past like "ftp world" (s. press release of 16.09.04, the March raids (18.03.04) or also the determination complex Coburg (02.12.05), which in the long run to box stop led, not to take place to be able. Against sensation-greedy speculations, which found 24,01,06 in the media ing since that, the GVU possesses the consent of its members and the other industries concerned to their procedure against robbery copiers. Because in this point are itself all united: One must work against the ing of pirat copies substantial, in order to limit the damage resulting from it in the best possible way.



GVU of recognized partners of the prosecution authorities
For now 20 years the GVU is a recognized partner of the prosecution authorities. However in the last four years, in which the InterNet became ever more important for the illegal ing of pirat copies, thousand procedures were introduced by the GVU. The responsible prosecution authorities are merged at a very early time into the determinations of the GVU, i.e. as soon as the references are sufficient, which are necessary for the introduction of a criminal procedure - usually by the position of a charge in the name of the GVU concerned of members -. In many cases the GVU supports the further process of the procedures by additional determinations in co-operation with the public prosecutor's offices and police stations or by legal background knowledge of the legal department of the GVU. also in purchase auf all legal aspects of copyright infringements within this range is present a comprehensive Wissensfundus of 20 years expert's assessment. Also for this reason the Justitiare of the GVU is consulted both of the industry and advisor for their political work as also of the German and international prosecution authorities as experts fuer training courses of policemen, state lawyers and judges. However in the last year the Justitiare held over 30 lectures with altogether over 800 participants. Extensive search actions connected with the sicherstellung of a multiplicity of servers, on which data within the Terabyte range was made available, present themselves as hard and lasting impacts against the Erstverbreiter. Destroyed, that will become further reconstruction and the expansion of these structures made the existing infrastructure more difficult.







UPDATE 26,01,06 12:00 Uhr


For the verification of the information, which the GVU gave to the authorities, also in the GVU center in Hamburg one determined. A suspicion, which was not in the course of the search wave by box stop in the media that the GVU gesetzt hat itself with these determinations over it as private organization gesetzten borders away, exists however with the responsible public prosecutor's office, so more ein Sprecher the Ellwanger public prosecutor's office opposite the press agency of DPA (am 25.0106): The GVU is not as accused one of, but in the role of the witness scans worden. Die data for an alignment with other guaranteed data were needed.





UPDATE 20,00 o'clock 24.01.06



Press release of the Austrian partner organization of the GVU: International large raid against Filmpiraten
Largest German-language Piratenserver in Vienna guaranteed



The VAP - Association for Antipiraterie of the filmwirtschaft of Austria registered one of its largest successes in the fight against illegal film down load on Tuesday as well as the sister associations in several European countries. Simultaneous house searches in five countries led to the seizure of some the largest Piratenserver in the German-speaking countries.



On Tuesday, 24. Jaenner 2006 around point 10,00 o'clock morning started a large-scale international raid at the same time on under largest secrecy over 300 places in Germany, Austria, Holland, Poland and Tschechien. The central servers of the German Releasegroups most meaning at present (GTR, ECP, TRCD uva) and numerous liable to pay the costs distribution servers (scene term "Payboxes") were guaranteed.

Untranslated German Source: http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/presse_m/presse_m_038.php
Pics: http://www.gvu.de/de/presse/download_pics.php