A joint operation between Lewisham Trading Standards, Met Police, FACT, IFPI and BPI has led to the successful raid of a residential premises in Deptford and the arrest of eight suspects.

The raid took place mid-morning on Thursday, 22 February 2007, following suspicions that counterfeit DVDs and music CDs were being manufactured and distributed from the premises. The operation resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of equipment and materials:
• 22 DVD burners used for multiple DVD and CD copying
• commercial colour printers connected to commercial printing ink reservoirs
• 7,000 completed discs in bags and stored ready for collection and supply
• 10,000 blank DVD and CD discs ready for burning
• 10,000 sleeves and many thousands of sheets of laser copier paper

A quantity of unclassified obscene bestiality titles were also removed together with 3,000 cigarettes that were not labelled with statutory health warnings.

Councillor Susan Wise, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “Enquiries are still continuing but there can be no doubt this is a significant seizure.Counterfeiting is known to have links to organised crime. Anyone thinking of purchasing counterfeit products should also be cautious. DVDs can be of poor quality and, by and large, the source is recorded from a cinema screen using a video camera.”

Kieron Sharp, Director General of FACT, said: “Counterfeiting is detrimental to the profitability and viability of everyone involved in the film industry, including those small businesses selling and hiring out the genuine product.

FACT continues to work with local agencies to help deal with this problem that brings crime to local communities.

The public should note that this is a crime that is controlled at the top level by serious and organised crime.”