MADRID, April 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Spanish police said Wednesday they shut down what they described as the largest illegal Spanish-language online manga platform, which had operated for more than a decade and drew millions of users worldwide.

Authorities arrested three people in the southern province of Almeria in connection with the site, which had offered free, unauthorized access to a "massive volume" of manga titles since 2014, Spain's National Police said in a statement.

Manga, a term for Japanese comic books and graphic novels, is central to Japan's publishing industry and has a growing global readership.

Officials estimate the site generated more than 4.0 million euros ($4.3 million) in revenue through aggressive advertising, mainly pop-up ads for pornography, raising concerns because of its large base of young users.

Police said the platform was "the largest online illicit distribution platform for manga in Spanish" with a "strong presence across the entire Spanish-speaking market".

They added that its long-running operation caused significant financial harm to publishers, translators and other rights holders by undermining legal distribution channels.

The three suspects face charges of continuous intellectual property crimes, police said.

Manga stories are diverse and include fantasy adventures, historical sagas and science fiction.