Belgian police say 10 people have been arrested in raids across Europe against hackers who put illegal copies of movies and television series on the Internet.

Five of the arrests were in Belgium, where the computer crime unit led an operation that fanned out over 12 other nations, including Britain, Germany and France.

Police spokeswoman Tine Hollevoet said the other arrests were made in Poland, Norway and Sweden, where, together with Belgium, the alleged leaders of four computer piracy networks were being held.

Hollevoet said the international raids sought to neutralize 48 servers distributing illegal material.

In Belgium, the suspects were charged with membership in a criminal organization, computer fraud, hacking and piracy.