In June 2010,

PIR received from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a “Warrant of Seizure in rem” issued by the US Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York. The warrant is based on an affidavit by an agent of the DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and orders the seizure and civil forfeiture of the domain name “THEPIRATECITY.ORG”. Pursuant to the instructions of the DHS, PIR transferred the registration to a specified IP address.

The legal authority for the seizure are sections of the US Statutes, Criminal Code, that provide for seizure and  forfeiture of property used in violation of the criminal provisions of copyright law.”