30,000 Counterfeit DVDs, with a street value of over £90,000, and 150 DVD burners have been seized by the Metropolitan Police following separate Police raids in Lewisham.

Seven people were arrested after police found more than 150 DVD burners at a Gilmore Road, Lewisham address early last week (Tuesday 17 February).

Lewisham Police, working in partnership with FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) and Lewisham Trading Standards, arrested all seven occupants, five males and two females.

More than 150 DVD burners, four computers and a quantity of counterfeit DVDs were confiscated from the property.

Sergeant Karl Parish, from Telegraph Hill Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “Members of the public may see this as a harmless crime, but purchasing counterfeit DVDs not only deprive income to industries that support jobs in the UK, but also helps to fund other types of organised crimes. This includes drugs and human trafficking. “Anyone with information about these factories should contact police so we can take the appropriate action.”

Kieron Sharp, FACT Director General, said: “This is an excellent result uncovering a criminal enterprise capable of producing counterfeit DVDs with a street value of over £400,000 per week. However we also know that these ‘factories’ are often not operating in isolation and we will continue to work with the Metropolitan Police to target the people and criminal organisations behind them.”

As a result of a separate search warrant Brockley Safer Neighbourhoods Team seized approximately 30,000 counterfeit DVDs from a Lewisham address.

The 30,000 DVDs seized, including recent titles Slumdog Millionaire, Revolutionary Road and Confessions of a Shopaholic, had an estimated street value of over £90,000.

To report the manufacture or sale of counterfeit DVDs call the charity CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods team.