PIPCU called the operation a "major success", explaining that it has taken good action against sites that were offering illegal access to films, television shows, books, music and games.

This has two benefits, one that some sites are no longer sharing material owned by other people, the other that piracy outfits are being separated from the advertising money that they would otherwise take through their pages.

The advertising money is a big win for PIPCU because of the sheer amount of cash being pulled out of criminal hands. It said that since becoming concerned with this stuff and arresting perps in 2013, it has seen a 73 percent reduction in UK top companies spending money on sites that make a monkey of rights.