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Clifford Lo

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested a computer programmer and his father on suspicion of illegally live-streaming English Premier League football matches from Now TV paid channels to more than 200 viewers.
The Post learned on Tuesday that officers raided the suspects’ public housing flat in the Lok Fu area of Wong Tai Sin district at around 9.30pm on Sunday, about half an hour after the match between Brighton and Nottingham Forest kicked off.
Senior Inspector Alex Choy Chun-wai of customs’ intellectual property investigation bureau said officers used forensic and network analysing tools to conduct real-time evidence collection before carrying out the raid.
Inside the flat, customs officers seized a laptop computer, a TV decoder and an HDMI splitter, as well as audio and video equipment. The seized electronic products were worth about HK$20,000 (US$2,570).
They arrested a 43-year-old suspect and his father, 69.
The Post learned the younger man, a computer programmer, was the registered subscriber of Now TV paid channels, while his father was unemployed.
A source familiar with the matter said a Now TV decoder was connected to an HDMI splitter that was linked to a television. The computer, installed with software for streaming purposes, was used as a web server and a stream encoder.
“A preliminary investigation suggested a webpage posted with a streaming link was set up teaching viewers to install a video player,” the insider said, adding that people could use the streaming link to watch live football matches.

He said customs officers were investigating whether the two men had benefited from live-streaming the football matches.
Customs officers launched the investigation after receiving a complaint from Now TV, a local subscription-based television provider.
Without naming Now TV, the senior inspector said the complainant accused a subscriber of illegally live-streaming overseas football matches.
Choy said that after gathering evidence, customs officers raided the Lok Fu flat and arrested the men on Sunday night.
They were detained on suspicion of violating the Copyright Ordinance – an offence punishable by up to four years in jail and a HK$500,000 fine.
According to the Customs and Excise Department, the two men were released on bail pending further investigation.
Choy appealed to members of the public to report copyright infringement on 2545 6182, a 24-hour hotline.


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News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Men suspected of streaming Premier League football games from Now TV paid channels to more than 200 viewers


Men suspected of streaming Premier League football games from Now TV paid channels to more than 200 viewers.


Crime

English Premier League

Hong Kong society