Do Son 
In March 2026, HiAnime abruptly announced its closure and issued a farewell statement. This platform was arguably the largest and most user-friendly pirated anime website globally. At the time, the public widely speculated that copyright disputes and mounting law enforcement pressure forced the operations team to shut it down. However, closing a website does not simply erase the underlying copyright infringement. Now, Vietnamese police have successfully apprehended seven suspects locally who are connected to the HiAnime network.
Vietnamese Authorities Execute Raids and Arrest Suspects
Recently, Vietnamese law enforcement agencies launched a coordinated raid. The Economic Crimes Investigation Department and the Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department led this operation. Furthermore, they received crucial support from US Homeland Security Investigations and the global anti-piracy coalition. Together, they arrested seven individuals in Vietnam affiliated with the illicit HiAnime enterprise. Authorities have officially detained four of these suspects. Meanwhile, they placed the remaining three under strict residential restrictions.
A Lucrative Enterprise Uncovered
Investigators revealed shocking details about the syndicate’s operations. Between 2020 and April 2026, this group utilized HiAnime and over 100 associated domains. They uploaded and distributed 26,000 film and television productions without proper authorization. Consequently, they generated a staggering 308 billion Vietnamese Dong in illegal advertising revenue. This amount translates to approximately 12.85 million US dollars.
Cross-Border Collaboration Leads to Takedown
Historically, HiAnime ranked as the most visited anime piracy portal worldwide. Its traffic even surpassed several legitimate streaming platforms between 2024 and 2025. To evade censorship, HiAnime frequently rotated through various domains to ensure continuous access. Nevertheless, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment relentlessly tracked the administration team. Once they gathered sufficient intelligence, these international organizations shared their findings with Vietnamese authorities. This intelligence sharing culminated in the recent arrests and subsequent evidence collection.
The Endless Cycle of Digital Piracy
Following the shutdown of HiAnime, numerous new pirate platforms quickly emerged. They continue to provide free resources to internet users globally. In reality, wherever immense demand exists, someone will inevitably take the risk to supply those resources. Typically, these illicit operations monetize their traffic through aggressive advertising or premium membership tiers. Therefore, some newer platforms now operate within Telegram channels to avoid direct domain seizures.
A Stern Warning to Copyright Infringers
Despite the persistence of this cat-and-mouse game, the recent arrests send a powerful message. When operations involve massive intellectual property theft, perpetrators will eventually face justice. Regardless of their operational scale or longevity, administrators remain vulnerable to transnational law enforcement. This case definitively proves that crossing borders no longer guarantees safety for digital pirates.
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