Media Centre / Case Studies

Date: 04/10/2006

Location: Staines

Surrey Police observed a Chinese male acting suspiciously by a car in Staines train station car park. The male was questioned and arrested when found to be in possession of over 3000 DVD's. Upon inspection it transpired that the discs contained a mixture of bestiality and obscene pornography.

Associated crime types: Obscene material

Date: 04/10/2006

Location: Hackney, East London

A search warrant under section 109 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 was executed in Hackney by Police, Trading Standards and FACT. Local residents had informed the Police that they had seen copying equipment being delivered to the premises. Police found 132 DVD burners, 19 disc printers, 4 paper printers, and approximately 35,000 DVDs. At the rear of the house Police seized over a dozen of samurai swords, knives and machetes. Ten Chinese nationals were questioned and investigations are currently ongoing.

Associated crime types: Offensive weapons

Date: 03/07/2006

Location: Watford, Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire Police recovered a significant amount of cocaine during a house search under the Misuse of Drugs Act. During the raid a female Chinese national called at the house and was believed to be looking for the residents. The female was detained and found to be in the possession of 200 (mainstream) counterfeit DVDs and a large amount of pornography. Upon inspection of the pornographic discs it emerged that some of the discs contained a mixture of obscene material and bestiality.

The defendant was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Watford Magistrates Court.

Associated crime types: Drugs, Obscene material and bestiality

Date: 05/06/2006

Location: Croydon, South East London

The Metropolitan Police arrested a subject believed to be riding a stolen motorbike in South East London. Upon arrest it was confirmed that the motorbike was stolen and that the defendant was wanted for questioning. A house search was executed at the defendant’s property and over 1000 counterfeit DVDs along with an extensive collection of counterfeit pornography was seized. The Police also found burning equipment and a sophisticated printing machine.

Associated crime types: Theft and pornography

Date: 24/05/2006

Location: Epsom, Surrey

A recidivist Chinese DVD seller was arrested in the Epsom area for selling counterfeit DVDs. The male had already been subject to three previous arrests for identical offences. Upon searching the male, Police found £200 in cash and it transpired that some of the £20 notes were forgeries.

The use of counterfeit currency causes harm to the local economy and can lead to people being defrauded.

In 2006 FACT has noted a strong increase in the volume of additional counterfeit products associated with counterfeit DVDs.

Associated crime types: Counterfeit currency

Date: 09/05/2006

Location: Sittingbourne, Kent

A male street seller was arrested for trying to sell counterfeit DVDs in a local pub. Local Police were aware of street seller following an earlier complaint from a train guard who had reported the street seller for trying to sell DVDs on the train. The street seller was caught with the DVDs as he tried to sell them to punters sitting at the bar area. Upon inspection of the DVDs, local Police found a number of pornographic discs including bestiality.

The male is due to be charged for the obscene material.

Associated crime types: Obscene material

Date: 25/04/2006

Location: Isle of Sheppey, Kent

A male was arrested on the Isle of Sheppey for selling counterfeit DVDs on the street. As Police arrested the male, he became aggressive and assaulted one of the Police officers. Upon inspection of his possessions the Police found obscene material along with a series of Hollywood blockbusters. The male was immediately taken to the local Police station where he gave a false name and details before eventually cooperating with the Police.

The defendant is currently being held on remand.

Date: 07/04/2006

Location: Peckham, South East London

A suspicious looking vehicle containing two men was stopped by the Metropolitan Police in the Peckham area of South East London. The driver refused to cooperate with the Police and the vehicle was searched. Inside the vehicle were over 3000 counterfeit DVDs along with a series of pornographic titles. Subsequent Police checks showed that the driver of the vehicle was a disqualified driver who was also wanted in regard to several other vehicle offences. The accomplice of the driver was an illegal immigrant.

Investigations are currently ongoing regarding the vehicle and the registered owner.

Associated crime types: Driving whilst disqualified, immigration crimes and pornography

Date: 20/3/2006
Location: Harrow, North London

On Saturday 18th February 2006 the Metropolitan Police, Trading Standards, Home Office Immigration, FACT and Harrow Council CCTV operators worked in partnership to swoop on the numerous street traders that sell counterfeit DVDs in St Anns Road, Harrow.

The operation, named ‘Predator’, was organised in response to complaints received regarding the continual stream of Chinese itinerant traders who persistently target Harrow as an area to sell counterfeit and pornographic DVDs. In excess of 1,500 counterfeit DVDs, including latest blockbuster hits, were seized which breached registered trade marks of major film companies such as 20th Century Fox, Paramount, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros and Disney. The Operation resulted in thirteen traders being arrested for offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994. Twelve of them were held in custody while Detectives and Trading Standards Enforcement Officers conducted interviews throughout the night assisted by interpreters.

Twelve traders, nine male and three female, were charged and appeared before Harrow Magistrates Court on Monday 20th February 2006. All twelve pleaded guilty. Some of the traders had been prosecuted before for similar offences whilst others had had their goods seized by Trading Standards and were subject to ongoing investigations. These traders admitted similar offences in the past which were also taken into consideration by Magistrates when passing their sentences.

The Magistrates stated that these were serious offences and custodial sentences would be appropriate. However, having heard various mitigating circumstances, most of the traders were given 12 – 15 month conditional discharges and ordered to pay between £40 - £70 costs. Two traders who had previous convictions were given 28 day custodial sentences and a third was remanded in custody.

Associated crime types: Pornography and immigration crimes

Date: 18/03/06

Location: South East London

The often violent, aggressive and territorial nature of DVD pirates was highlighted in a recent case in South East London. In March 2006 two Police officers were conducting a routine police patrol when they witnessed a group of Chinese nationals selling counterfeit DVDs. As the Police walked towards the Chinese nationals, a gang of five Afro-Caribbean males began attacking the Chinese group in an attempt to steal the counterfeit DVDs. The two Police officers intervened and as a result one of the officers received injuries to the ribs and required stitches in the head area. As both groups fled the crime scene, one of the Chinese nationals dropped his wallet. The identification found in the wallet confirmed that the owner was an illegal immigrant who had been refused asylum in the UK. Investigations are currently ongoing.

Associated crime types: Assaulting a Police Officer and Immigration crimes

Date: 01/02/2006

Location: Burnt Oak, North London

In February 2006 a combined agency operation involving FACT and Kent Police seized the contents of a duplicating factory based in the Burnt Oak area of North London. The operation began in Kent in September 2005 and led to investigations taking place in the various London areas.  Surveillance revealed that Chinese nationals were possibly using an industrial unit for duplicating and distributing counterfeit DVDs.  As a result Kent Police and FACT representatives conducted a raid on the industrial unit where two Chinese men were arrested and a substantial amount of burning equipment and DVDs were discovered. Inside the industrial unit, more than 20,000 discs, 200,000 inlays and 6000 blank DVD-Rs were seized. Significantly, the operation led to the seizure of 24 tower burners and series of specialist disc printers.

The Police further uncovered copious amounts of pornographic material and it later emerged that the one of the men arrested was an illegal immigrant. The two men were named as John Tak Ke Lau and Chee Chong Liew.

On 10th May 2006 Lau was sent to prison for 16 months and Liew was jailed for 21 months. The judge recommended that Liew should be deported at the end of his sentence.

Associated crime types: Pornography and immigration crimes

Date: 30/01/2006

Location: Lambeth, South London

A routine stop of a male street seller by Trading Standards in South London highlighted the worrying link between DVD piracy and obscene pornography. The street seller was caught with 150 DVDs in his satchel. When prompted for pornographic material, the man revealed 30 pornographic DVDs. During examination, it emerged that some of the pornographic DVDs contained a mixture of heavily pregnant women and young pubescent girls. The paedophilic material contained a mixture of South East Asian girls and Western girls. The matter was immediately furthered to the Metropolitan Police Child Protection Directorate, and the DVDs to the Paedophile Squad Intelligence Unit for further investigation.

FACT and law enforcement partners have witnessed an increase in the amount of pornographic and obscene material available alongside counterfeit Hollywood blockbusters and family favourites.

Associated crime types: Paedophilic material and obscene pornography