On October 29, 2024, the pirate streaming website score808.US, a significant provider of illegal sports content, was successfully taken down by a concerted raid.
In Makadara Subcounty, Nairobi County, inspectors from the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and National Police Service officers collaborated on the operation, which resulted in the arrest of the main suspect in charge of the website, which had over 21,000 active users and received 27.6 million unique visitors worldwide in a single year.
Notably, South Africa and Nigeria provided over 1.62 million and 1.15 million unique visitors, respectively, to the website, while Kenya supplied about 8.85 million unique visitors, or 32.08% of the total traffic.
Through websites like Sky Sports and SuperSport, score808.US made it easier to watch illicit broadcasts of major sporting events, such as games from the English Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga. Authorities confiscated the backend database of the website during the operation, knocked the platform offline, and took the suspect’s laptop and cell phone for additional forensic examination by the Kenyan Police Cyber Crime squad. Authorities acknowledge that as the investigation continues, further arrests are expected.
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KECOBO’s Acting Executive Director, Mr George Nyakweba, emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property, while industry representatives praised the operation as a vital step against piracy. “We fully support all rights holders in protecting their intellectual property. It is KECOBO’s mandate to assist rights holders in safeguarding their rights in Kenya. Such raids are crucial in preserving the integrity of the works of the creatives,” said Mr. Nyakweba.
“This is part of our ongoing strategy to address piracy in all its forms across the African continent. We commend the Kenya Copyright Board and the National Police Service for their excellent work in this operation. Their dedication to combating piracy is invaluable in protecting the rights of legitimate content owners,” said Frikkie Jonker of Irdeto, a world leader in digital platform cybersecurity.
By lessening the financial impact of piracy, the closure of score808.US is anticipated to protect legal revenue, encourage employment retention, and strengthen Kenya’s and Africa’s creative industries.
