Police raid nets 6500 pirate DVDs

The Australian Federal Police have seized about 6500 pirate DVDs in a raid on an ACT premises, following an alert from Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) investigators.

Computer burning equipment used to manufacture the pirate DVDs was also seized after investigators found a website selling more than 5000 different movies and television shows, including unreleased films that were going for $6 each.

“We acknowledge the important work carried out today by ACT Policing in closing down this website and DVD burning operation,” AFACT executive director, Neil Gane, in a written statement. “Piracy is not a victimless crime: It directly impacts local businesses like cinemas and DVD stores and the people they employ”.

UnderBelly star, Roy Billing, told AFACT piracy is stealing funds from local artists.

“Every time a movie pirate sells a pirated DVD they are putting money in their own pocket and stealing from the creative community that made the movie, the investors who put their money into it — including the Australian tax payer — and the mums and dads who run fair-dinkum cinemas and DVD stores. It’s got to stop,” Billing said in a statement.

A 49-year-old male is assisting with inquiries, police said.

Police seized 194,233 pirated DVDs and 749 burners in 69 raids involving movie piracy last year.

In 350,000 DVDs and 170 burners were seized in a series of raids in early 2008. The burners operated 10 hours per day, seven days per week, and were capable of producing over 4 million DVDs with an estimated street value of $12 million.

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