Bulgarian Torrent Giants Zamunda, Zelka, and ArenaBG Seized in Joint U.S.-Bulgarian Operation
A TorrentFreak-reported anti-piracy operation has resulted in the seizure of the domains for three of Bulgaria’s largest torrent sites — Zamunda.net, ArenaBG.com, and Zelka.org — as part of a coordinated enforcement action between U.S. and Bulgarian authorities. The domains now display a federal seizure notice after a court order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, with involvement from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Justice alongside Europol and multiple Bulgarian law-enforcement agencies.
These torrent trackers were among the most popular file-sharing platforms in Bulgaria and the region, drawing tens of millions of visits and offering thousands of copyrighted movies, TV shows, games and other works without authorisation. Officials allege the services generated significant traffic and potentially ad revenue while facilitating widespread distribution of pirated content.
The action comes after Bulgaria sought U.S. assistance years earlier to tackle online piracy. It involved international law-enforcement coordination, and in at least some reports, arrests were made during the operation. The domain seizures do not necessarily mean the underlying servers are offline, and such sites often reappear under alternate addresses.
