Telstra and Eftel raided in MP3 probe
Source: Australian IT
FEDERAL police have executed search warrants on Telstra and internet company Eftel in one of Australia's largest investigations into alleged music piracy, which could be worth up to $60 million.
Warrants were also executed at several other un-named internet service providers, with more warrants possible as the investigation continues.
It's understood the police were seeking information about the identities of particular subscribers, as well as music files that may have been stored by them on servers.
According to sources, the wholesale value of the allegedly pirated music may be as high as $60 million - making it one of Australia's largest copyright infringement investigations.
A police spokeswoman confirmed that officers, accompanied by computer forensics experts, visited a Telstra facility in Melbourne and Eftel's Perth offices, as part of ongoing investigations.
Search warrants were also executed at several other ISPs, which she declined to name.
She said the execution of these warrants was part of "related investigations".
The Australian understands that the investigations are at an early stage, and that more ISPs may yet be searched.
Simon Ehrenfeld, the chief executive of Eftel parent company Datafast Telecommunications, said the company had co-operated with police, and had provided information relating to a subscriber. The ISP had also closed the subscriber's website.
