Some have traded in a black and white, skull and bones flag for a less-assuming red and white maple leaf, but some pirates - whether at sea or in Canada - are still trying to take what doesn't belong to them. In a constant effort to crack down on signal piracy, satellite companies are taking the matter into their own hands while trying to reclaim their loot.
This week, EchoStar Communications said that along with its security partner NagraStar and Canadian satellite provider Bell ExpressVu have jointly conducted more civil search and seizure raids throughout Ontario while hunting for pirated satellite services and devices. The companies said that multiple businesses were targeted in this round of raids and a number of unauthorized devices used to "circumvent the security of encrypted satellite signals, as well as sales and customer records" were seized.
According to EchoStar, the following companies, individuals and websites were served with the seizure orders: tomico-satellites.com, tomicoind.com, Tomico industries, tomicoreviews.com, electronics-elite.com, sales-dynamics-firm.com, dsswholesaledirect.com, EZDish.com, EZ123DISH.c*om, EZsate*llite.tv, greendish.com, scardz.com as well as Steve Rodgers, Troy Megill, Sarkar Azmi and Wes Hadley.
Together the companies said they would continue to fight those who try to compromise their security systems by illegally intercepting the satellite signal being provided to legitimate, paying customers.