Police officers raid a location linked to the pirated sports streaming website ‘Xoi Lac TV’ during an operation investigating alleged copyright infringement and illegal gambling activities in Vietnam. Photo: The Ministry of Public Security’s Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department

‘Xoi Lac TV’ started to stream international sports competitions online from 2016 and was developed by an anonymous group.

In early March, Vietnamese police charged 30 suspects linked to ‘Xoi Lac TV’ with copyright infringement and gambling-related offenses.

The department teamed up with police in Hung Yen Province, northern Vietnam to dismantle the network on February 2.

In the thank-you letter, the embassy commends Vietnamese law enforcement agencies for their efforts in investigating and shutting down the large-scale copyright infringement operation.

The department noted that the recognition from the embassy carries significant meaning at a time when online copyright infringement is no longer an issue confined to individual countries, but it has become a shared global challenge.

Tackling digital piracy effectively requires close cooperation among law enforcement bodies, diplomatic missions, international organizations, and cross-border businesses and individuals, said the department.

Vietnam is stepping up efforts to fight online copyright violations, which have become more sophisticated and widespread in recent years.

The takedown of ‘Xoi Lac TV’ stands out as a typical example of the determination and enforcement capability of Vietnamese officers in dealing with organized copyright violations conducted online and across borders.

Vietnamese authorities will continue strengthening efforts to detect, prevent, and address copyright violations in cyberspace in line with the prime minister’s Official Dispatch No. 38.

The dispatch directs intensified nationwide efforts to prevent and strictly handle violations, particularly during a peak enforcement period from May 7 to 30.