Federal authorities seize three websites accused of peddling pirated Android apps

“Software apps have become an increasingly essential part of our nation’s economy and creative culture, and the [department’s] criminal division is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the creators of these apps and other forms of intellectual property from those who seek to steal it,” Lanny Breuer, assistant attorney general of Justice’s criminal division, said in a statement.

During the operation, FBI agents downloaded thousands of apps that were illegal copies of copyrighted smartphone apps on various sites. These sites were serving as illicit online marketplaces for smartphone apps.

Justice said most of the servers that stored the pirated apps were hosted outside of the United States. It worked with law enforcement partners abroad to procure evidence on the servers. Law enforcement also issued nine search warrants in six districts across the United States as part of the operation.

Last month Immigration and Customs Enforcement worked with Justice to seize 70 Web addresses of sites accused of peddling knock off products, such as sports jerseys and luxury goods.