MultiChoice Group has secured another arrest in its crackdown on the Waka TV pirate streaming operation.

The pay-television broadcaster’s security technology subsidiary Irdeto has this year mounted a major campaign, working with law enforcement officers, to target individuals and groups allegedly stealing and rebroadcasting or restreaming its content.

The latest arrest, of a suspect in the Waka TV piracy operation, took place in Germiston near Johannesburg on 1 October during a joint operation involving Irdeto and the South African Police Service.

“The suspect, who appeared in court on 3 October in connection with the alleged streaming piracy operation, will have their bail application hearing on 9 October,” MultiChoice said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The suspect, an alleged Botswana national without legal documentation to reside in South Africa, was allegedly initially arrested for business break-ins and theft. Following an investigation, law enforcement uncovered not only the alleged stolen goods and cash but also several pirate streaming devices,” the broadcaster said. “These devices were allegedly being used to distribute pirated content through the illegal streaming service Waka TV.”

The suspect allegedly admitted to acting as a reseller for Waka TV and operating through a business WhatsApp account, where he allegedly distributed pirate login credentials to his customers, charging them a fee for unauthorised access to premium content, it said.

‘Alarming connection’

“This case highlights the alarming connection between piracy and broader criminal activities. His customers, who allegedly purchased credentials and devices from the suspect, were not simply buying from an ordinary seller but from an individual allegedly involved in a network of illegal activities,” MultiChoice said.

“This arrest is another clear example of Irdeto’s longstanding assertion that individuals involved in streaming piracy often have links to other criminal activities.”

MultiChoice has secured a number of arrests this year related to the Waka TV operation. In May, the company worked with Western Cape police to execute a raid that led to a “key suspect” being arrested.

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“The suspect, who is believed to have managed several pirate customers and resellers, was detained,” the broadcaster said at the time, adding that Waka TV “illegally distributed live TV channels, including several DStv channels, movies and series”.