There is no "punishment" for internet piracy because it is not a criminal offense. It is a civil offense and civil law is about restitution, not "punishment". There is indeed a lot of restitution going on when internet pirates are caught.
I believe that using pirated sites is legal and safe. I'm glad I found a good pirate site that gives me the opportunity to save my money. The Pirate Bay has become one of my favorite sites on the whole internet and I am sure it will be useful for every internet user