Dutch police dismantle pirate disc plant

Amsterdam, 13th September 2007

Officers from the Dutch Fiscal and Economic Police (FIOD-ECD) are dismantling a pirate disc factory after raiding it yesterday. The action in the city of Velddriel has led to the seizure of pirate discs and manufacturing equipment, as well as the arrest of the one suspect who was present.

The raid followed a complaint by the Dutch anti-piracy group BREIN, who had been alerted to the problem by enforcement officers from IFPI, the body that represents the recording industry worldwide, who had monitored activity at the clandestine plant.

Officials seized a DVD press set up to make pirate copies of films including Die Hard 4.0, Ocean's Thirteen, Evan Almighty and Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer.

The seized press had a capacity to manufacture 900 DVDs per hour. Forensic examination by IFPI suggests this press comes from a legitimate DVD plant that had previously been declared bankrupt.

Officers also discovered discs which formed part of an order for thousands of pirate CDs featuring a compilation of chart music.

Pirate discs from the plant have not been sold through legitimate channels, but by individuals in schools, workplaces, bars or on the street. BREIN estimates that such organised piracy accounts for an estimated 10 per cent of the Netherlands’ physical piracy problem.

Tim Kuik, the Director of BREIN, says: "This action shows that piracy of physical CDs and DVDs is still an illegal and profitable business in the Netherlands and a big problem for film and music producers even if internet piracy gets more headlines. We remain very vigilant against disc pirate operators and we will make sure they are prosecuted and punished for their illegal activities. We compliment the officers of FIOD-ECD who investigated this case."

John Kennedy, Chairman and CEO of IFPI, adds: "This raid shows that in 2007 physical piracy continues to damage the entertainment industries. Here we have a clandestine factory operating in a major western economy, producing huge volumes of product. This is not a petty crime, this is serious organised crime and it is important that the public understands that when they buy pirate product they are sending cash to organised criminals eho are almost certainly involved in other areas of serious criminal activity."

The investigation is ongoing.