AFP seizes computers from pirate DVD house

Mar 17, 2010 3:15 PM
Filed under Hardware

Website shut down with help of film industry.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have raided a house in Canberra's north-west, seizing computer equipment used for manufacturing illegal DVDs and shutting down a website offering them for sale.

ACT Policing said a 49-year-old male was assisting police with their inquiries.

A search of the house, located at Belconnen, allegedly turned up some 6,500 pirated movie DVDs.

A website where the DVDs were sold was located by investigators from the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), which supported police. The DVDs were allegedly being sold 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 said.

"Piracy is not a victimless crime: It directly impacts local businesses like cinemas and DVD stores and the people they employ."

AFACT said web sites selling fake DVDs could be spotted if the discs were being sold "way below what you'd expect to pay for a genuine DVD" and "if some of the movie titles being offered for sale are still screening at Australian cinemas."

An estimated 780,000 pirated DVDs were destroyed last November as a result of similar seizures by NSW, Victorian and Federal Police officers.

AFP seizes computers from pirate DVD house

14 comments in this discussion

"Interesting discussion, and it seems to be bringing out a couple of good points. If monopolists excessively exploit their leverage, the market will find a way to even things up, at least to some ..."

By anonymous

Tags

police, canberra, pirate, dvd, fake, movies, website, raid

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Comments: 14

zymurgy42 Mar 17, 2010 5:23 PM	"Piracy is not a victimless crime: It directly impacts local businesses like cinemas and DVD stores and the people they employ." If they released movies across all media at the same time, instead of using 'copyright' as a means to gouge the public, local businesses like DVD stores and the people they employ would make MORE money. 'AFACT said web sites selling fake DVDs could be spotted if the discs were being sold "way below what you'd expect to pay for a genuine DVD"' It's exactly the price I expect to pay, not what I am charged though.
btone Mar 17, 2010 5:40 PM	$6 sounds about the right price for 99.9% of AFACT's 'licensed product'. Nah, make that $5... Way to waste the fed's time Hollywood, sleep well when the real bad guys get away because of your laziness and greed.
Mark D Mar 17, 2010 9:42 PM	"sleep well when the real bad guys get away" I would more think along the lines of "sleep well when a pedo finds your children". catching rock spiders > arresting said random guy making $50 from piracy What a waste of public money when so much violence and hate crimes exist in our communities. I think the Qld government and police would agree with me on this one.
deonast Mar 18, 2010 12:32 AM	While I hate AFACT you can't argue that these guys were selling pirate DVDs for profit. Plainly illegal and I can't see how you could argue not taking action would be a good thing. Mark D the police can hardly not act when illegal activities are brought to their attention or where would you drawn the line. We could investigate that burglary but it was only $1000 worth of stuff stolen lets not bother. Common Sense people. If you really want cheaper DVDs (and yes they are expensive when they first come out), wait a year most go down in price quite a bit on specials, that's how I buy them. Patience is a virtue, try it.
Drummo Mar 18, 2010 7:37 AM	"Way to waste the fed's time Hollywood, sleep well when the real bad guys get away because of your laziness and greed." You're right, they should save themselves time and instead go after the offenders ISP.
btone Mar 18, 2010 11:36 AM	@deonast: Reality check, try under prioritisation of resources. Lets start with arresting every blatantly obvious jaywalker? @Drummo: Yep, see IiNet v AFACT for 'How to blow a chunk of $$$ chasing rainbows'
Ace Mar 18, 2010 5:27 PM	It doesn't matter how crappy you think my garden gnome is, if you steal it you have broken the law. I hate this notion that people have, that if you steal 'soft' media, like software, movies, music etc, you are somehow less guilty than those who steal physical property. Where do you think Australia should rank in the worlds piracy leadership board? (Click Here). We're only 94th at the moment (software-wise).
Sams Mar 18, 2010 6:27 PM	@Ace: If someone copies your DVD, you still have the DVD. I someone takes your crappy garden gnome, you no longer have the enjoyment of it, which is the real meaning to stealing (steal => to hide away). That is at least one critical difference ...
Daff42 Mar 18, 2010 6:50 PM	@Ace: Those figures are from 2007. I'd also suggest that harming local businesses more than this small scale piracy are the fact that I can easily spend $60 for two people to go to the cinema, therefore limiting me to only seeing movies I REALLY want to see at the cinema. DVD stores seem to be slowly dying of their own volition, they're closing down in my area, and the ones that remain often don't have a great selection. Those are things harming these local businesses.
Creationist Mar 18, 2010 11:13 PM	@Sams: "If someone copies your DVD, you still have the DVD..." That is one extremely one-sided argument here, Sams. The fact remains that out there there is now a copy for which no one involved in the original production got a penny. And that IS a "critical difference". @Daff42: Well, what is stopping you from buying DVDs, limiting yourself to the ones that you REALLY want to have?
neddludd Mar 19, 2010 7:01 AM	Aslong as prices are high enough to encourage blatant piracy like this, it will continue to be a game of whack-o-mole.
neddludd Mar 19, 2010 7:09 AM	Quote: Where do you think Australia should rank in the worlds piracy leadership board? (Click Here). We're only 94th at the moment (software-wise). I dont think thats a true picture, check their methodology. They are mainly looking at bulk licensing for business. I think piracy could be up to 2 times higher than what they are suggesting.
Ace Mar 19, 2010 10:10 AM	Actually, if you look at the trend for software piracy, it appears to be improving quite dramatically. China used to be at about 98%, so a 15% change could well be billions of dollars. I think they may also be starting to use a lot of home-grown software. Music & video are a bit different to software. @Sams, stealing is taking something without authorisation. The trouble is, you don't see the scale. If you wrote a hit song, put it on a CD, then someone copied that song and sold a million copies of it for $6 a pop, you wouldn't be a little pissed off? I have no problem with AFACT or any other producer going after people for stealing there IP. I do have a problem with them attempting to go after ISPs, trying to get a cut of blank DVD sales or 'region-ising' their CDs and DVDs. Entirely inappropriate in my opinion.
anonymous Mar 19, 2010 12:51 PM	Interesting discussion, and it seems to be bringing out a couple of good points. If monopolists excessively exploit their leverage, the market will find a way to even things up, at least to some extent. The content corporations make much of the fact that copying means a loss of royalties to local artists, but the corporations keep most of the money for themselves (usually overseas).