In a significant development in the fight against copyright piracy, Saudi authorities are clamping down on illegal cable networks that operate mainly in close-knit worker accommodations, as reported by the Saudi Gazette.

The Ministry of Information and Culture, which is responsible for safeguarding intellectual property rights, has started inspection campaigns targeting these illegal cable networks backed by security forces, the media report stated.

The inspection teams reportedly arrested an expatriate who had been operating an illegal cable network in the Batha area of Riyadh by allegedly decrypting signals of legal broadcasters.

Despite well-established TV channel distribution companies operating in the Kingdom targeting the south Asian community, their content is limited and selected, and does not cover all language segments, the report stated.