The war on illegal streaming of live football matches — the biggest threat to the Premier League's £5billion TV rights deal — saw five people arrested in early-morning raids on Wednesday.

The traders were accused of selling illegal set-top boxes modified to stream expensive subscription football games free after raids of their homes in Manchester, Bolton, Bootle, Cheadle and Rhyl discovered the pirate equipment.

The action was co-ordinated by Federation Against Copyright Theft on behalf of the Premier League and their TV partners Sky, BT Sport and Virgin Media.

Four men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of selling modified Kodi boxes

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore has helped turn it into a multi-billion pound industry

FACT believe the five arrested had made around £250,000 selling the loaded Kodi box devices online.

Kodi software is designed to play content freely available on the internet but can be modified to provide pirate access to live Premier League football, for which Sky Sports pay £11m-a-game.

Sports industry sources claim one Premier League match this season had a record streaming audience of over 1million.

The 'fully loaded' devices were seized at properties in Bootle, Bolton, Manchester and Cheadle

The boxes are legal to use but can have illegal streaming services downloaded on them

Kieron Sharp, director of FACT, said the arrests send a warning to anyone involved in illegal streaming: 'Anyone selling these boxes should not be surprised to receive a knock on the door.'

The five arrested have been released on bail following questioning.