Agents of the National Police have dismantled an online service dedicated to the illegal dissemination and distribution of manga in Spanish. This platform, active since 2014, had millions of users globally and generated profits exceeding 4 million euros through an advertising system based on pop-up windows with pornographic content.
The investigation, which began in June 2025, led to the arrest of three individuals in Almería as alleged perpetrators of a continuous crime against intellectual property. Initial inquiries revealed that it was the largest online manga repository in the Spanish-speaking world, systematically providing free and unauthorized access to a massive volume of works protected by intellectual property rights.
The portal had established itself as the main reference for manga piracy in Spanish, with millions of monthly accesses and significant international reach. This caused severe damage to rights holders, publishers, translators, and the cultural industry as a whole. The monetization model relied on the constant appearance of pop-up windows every time a user interacted with the website, generating substantial income for its administrators.
“"It was confirmed that the downfall of TuMangaOnline (TMO) was the result of a joint operation between South Korea and the Spanish National Police. The investigation was centered in Almería, where Spanish authorities found the website owners."
Most of the displayed advertising was pornographic, creating significant social problems as many users were minors. During the search of the main suspect's home in Almería, agents discovered a complex technological infrastructure dedicated to maintaining the platform. Two USB devices, hidden inside a wall thermometer, containing cold cryptocurrency wallets valued at over 400,000 euros, were also seized.
The operation has been highlighted for its international relevance, given the platform's strong presence across the Spanish-speaking market. Its closure has had a significant economic and reputational impact on the publishing sector, eroding legal exploitation channels and discouraging investment in content creation, editing, translation, and distribution. The portal's advertising saturation also negatively affected user experience and the image of the disseminated works.
