Ukraine has ordered the file-sharing site ex.ua to close down for illegally distributing copyright-protected content, which includes music and videos.
Police swooped down on ex.ua’s premises, which was being reportedly run by a Latvian, following an investigation that lasted six months.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said in a statement that a search operation resulted in confiscation of computers which included about 200 servers containing six thousand terabytes, according to Reuters.
The website’s owner could face up to five years in prison if found guilty, according to Ukrainian law.
Founded in 2009, ex.ua is one of the largest file-sharing websites in Ukraine.
Earlier last month, the US witnessed a similar crackdown, the shutting down of Megaupload, one of the world’s largest file-sharing websites.
Ukraine is still not a signatory to ACTA, the intellectual property rights treaty, which has been signed by 22 European nations.
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The site was ordered to go offline under part 2 of article 176 of the Ukrainian Constitution pertaining to copyright violations, according to Ukrainian news site Watcher
