ALERT: Warning as Irish dodgy box users could face huge fines for the first time

Thousands of people across Ireland could soon be hit with direct fines of thousands of euros for using illegal dodgy-boxes.

The illegal streaming services have grown in popularity in the last few years around Ireland paying as little as €50 per year for channels. 

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Now, fines could be issued directly to the user after a similar crackdown in Italy saw nearly 2,500 fines, which can reach up to a whopping 5,000, issued to dodgy-box users following a new system which saw subscriber data seized by police.

Earlier this year, fifteen retailers across Ireland were targeted in the the latest clampdown of illegal dodgy boxes.

Working together with Sky TV, FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) - one of the main IP protection organisations in Ireland and the UK, working with rights holders, broadcasters and law enforcement to target and disrupt illegal piracy networks - delivered legal notices to the fifteen retail premises who were found to be selling subscriptions to illegal streaming services, supplying devices (dodgy boxes), or referring customers to sellers of the devices.

The operation, which took place on several dates across August, gave retailers a deadline to cease activities or they would face further legal action.

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FACT has said this is the first time this kind of enforcement has been used directly on retailers but "shops are a crucial gateway for consumers being drawn into illegal streaming," before adding, "the vast majority have responded to the legal notices and have agreed to cease their illegal activities".

Back in August, chairman of FACT, Kieron Sharp, said the latest operation "shows that we are actively targeting every link in the illegal streaming supply chain. When shop owners sell illegal streaming devices, subscriptions or act as referral points to providers, they are supporting criminal organisations and generating criminal profits."

Before adding, "We don't want to criminalise everyone, we certainly don't want to criminalise customers," he added, "We want to turn customers into legal paying customers and that's our focus here as well. This is a disruptive exercise."

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However, it's now looking increasingly likely that Sky are looking to follow Italy's footsteps.

It is estimated that approximately 400,000 households across Ireland use dodgy-boxes in their homes.