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In a major operation marking the seventh significant piracy takedown in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in two years, Egyptian authorities, in collaboration with the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), successfully shut down Laroza, the largest piracy site in the region.

A Landmark Anti-Piracy Action

Laroza, which was launched in 2021, operated 25 domains and amassed over 52 million monthly visits in the past six months. The free streaming site distributed a vast library of approximately 29,000 movies and TV series that users could access without a subscription.

Although the operation was based in Egypt, Laroza’s reach extended worldwide, with content being consumed in places like the United States and Europe.

In a coordinated effort, 26 police officers and six local investigators conducted the operation, leading to the arrest of two operators responsible for running Laroza. Egyptian authorities also confiscated $81,000 in cash and uncovered financial records showing over $515,000 in transactions, including $90,000 in cryptocurrency.

Karyn Temple, Senior Executive Vice President of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), praised the Egyptian Ministry of the Interior, stating:

The Laroza takedown represents a victory for intellectual property rights and creators around the world. Piracy is a crime that stifles creativity and harms consumers and global economies.

More Popular Websites Seized by ACE

The Laroza shutdown is the latest success in ACE and Egyptian law enforcement’s fight against illegal streaming services in MENA. Over the past two years, several major piracy rings have been dismantled, including:

• Cima4U (January 2024): Based in Giza, Egypt, this service operated 498 domains and attracted over 30 million monthly visits. It distributed more than 165,000 movie and TV titles, making it a significant player in the piracy market.
• Cimalight – Yalla Shoot (November 2023): This network of 60 interconnected domains logged over 29 million monthly visits and distributed a wide range of pirated content, including live sports.
• CimaClub (November 2023): One of the largest piracy operations in MENA, CimaClub managed 65 domains and attracted more than 29 million visits each month.
• Movizland (June 2023): Operating since 2012, Movizland drew 12 million monthly visits and provided a large catalog of pirated movies and TV shows.
• MyCima and Shahed4U (February 2023): Shahed4U, the region’s largest piracy operation at the time, logged 155 million visits per month across 118 domains. MyCima followed closely behind with over 55 million visits per month.
• Egybest Ring (December 2022): As the oldest piracy operation in the region, Egybest logged 122 million monthly visits, setting a high bar for future anti-piracy efforts.

The entertainment industry in MENA has been supportive of these efforts. Fiona Robertson, General Counsel at OSN Group, expressed her gratitude for ACE and law enforcement’s dedication, saying:

Together, we hope to continue to provide a fair and reliable market where legitimate content providers can thrive.

Global Impact of MENA Piracy Operations

While based in Egypt, these operations had far-reaching consequences for global entertainment markets. ACE has been proactive in working with law enforcement across MENA to shut down large-scale piracy operations. In the case of Laroza, the 25 domains that were previously used to distribute pirated content are now redirected to ACE’s Watch Legally website.

ACE has been at the forefront of the fight against digital piracy with numerous shutdowns/ closures of popular IPTV Providers, Streaming Apps, Websites, and more.