Operation 404.7: International Fight Against Digital Piracy
On 19 September 2024, the seventh phase of Operation 404, a joint international effort against digital piracy, took place in Brasilia. This operation, coordinated by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security, with the collaboration of EUIPO, in the context of the IP Key Latin America (IP Key LA) project, and institutions from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru and the United Kingdom , as well as the support of the private sector. Thanks to this joint work, good results have been achieved in Brazil and in other countries in the region to strengthen the protection of IP in Latin America.
This operation has established itself as a success story in the fight against online piracy, highlighting the cooperation between multiple agencies and countries. Previous phases of Operation 404 have resulted in the blocking of thousands of illegal websites and applications, as well as the execution of numerous search warrants and the seizure of equipment used to commit cybercrime. The operation succeeded in dismantling illegal distribution networks for digital content such as films, series, music and software, significantly affecting infringers.
During the new phase of the operation, Operation 404.7 carried out on 19 September in Brazil, more than 30 search warrants were executed and 675 websites and 14 applications were blocked.
This Latin American cooperation during the operation has been supported by EUIPO, in the context of the IP Key LA project, in previous activities (26-27 June and 18 September) in Brasilia. This allowed authorities from different countries to share best practices learn about the methodology applied and discuss approaches to combat digital piracy. In addition, state-of-the-art technologies for the detection and removal of illegal online content were explored, as well as the need for stricter policies and closer collaboration between the public and private sectors for operational cases. This comprehensive approach has been key to face a problem that affects the global creative economy, generating significant losses and threatening innovation and cultural development in the region.