Lewisham continues to target illegal counterfeit DVD operators in the borough
with another successful raid on local addresses.
Officers from Lewisham Council, the Federation Against Copyright Theft
(FACT), local police, the Department of Works and Pensions and colleagues from
Lambeth Council mounted a raid on three residential addresses in New
Cross on 24 October, which netted thousands of counterfeit DVDs and a large
number of DVD burners.
The intelligence-led operation followed another successful raid in New Cross
the previous week. The sale of counterfeit DVDs is illegal and is a serious
problem in South East London, impacting on local businesses and attracting
other types of crime.
This latest operation resulted in more than almost 90,000 items being seized,
including:
- 100 master film discs from which DVD copies were in the process of being
made, including latest Hollywood movies ’30 Days of Night’ and ‘The Game Plan’
- over 9,000 other assorted DVD copies
- 'factory' paraphernalia including a master computer and 3 printers;
- 184 DVD burners
- 20,000 plastic DVD covers
- 900 illegally imported Chinese cigarettes.
It is estimated that working 12 hours a day, the counterfeiters could
have been making roughly £15,000 a day (or about £105,000 per week). Two men
attempted to escape as officers entered one of the addresses, but were arrested
before being able to flee the scene.
Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Lewisham
won’t tolerate these illegal criminal enterprises operating in the borough.
“This latest operation is a fantastic example of joint working, by all the
teams concerned, producing significant results that damage this illegal trade at
a local level.”
Kieron Sharp, FACT Director General, said: “Good cross-organisation working
has made this latest raid a success and is another major blow to operations in
South East London.
“These are sophisticated organised criminal enterprises. By working together,
we will continue to pursue these illegal operators."
This year targeted raids in the borough, have netted:
- In excess of 75,000 counterfeit DVDs with a street value of over £300,000
- More than 200 DVD burners, computers and other equipment
- Fake passports and other documents
- Chinese medicines, believed to contain extracts from endangered species
- Class A and B drugs.
For consumer advice or to report suspected counterfeiting activity, contact
Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or contact Lewisham Council Trading Standards.
To report film piracy call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.
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