30/07/2009

A gang caught operating a multi-million pound DVD piracy network has been handed jail sentences by a British court.

28-year-old Sami Asghar-Sheikh and his 26-year-old brother Rafi were found guilty of conspiracy to launder the proceeds of Film Piracy, and conspiring to produce pirate DVDs contravening the Trademark Act and Copyright and sentenced to a total of six years (three years custodial and three years on prison licence).

Their father, the 53-year-old was found guilty of conspiring to launder the proceeds of Film Piracy and sentenced to a total of four years (two custodial, two years licence). Illegal immigrant from China Xin Li (34 years) was found guilty of concealing the proceeds of crime, namely Film Piracy and sentenced to a total of 27 months (half custodial, half licence).

The criminals were trapped in a joint operation involving the Metropolitan Police Service’s Film Piracy Unit (FPU), Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) and the International Federation of Phonographic Industries.

FPU Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mawer said, “This sentencing is the result of three years’ hard work and investigation into the activity of an extensive criminal network. Film piracy is not a victimless crime and it is crucial that the public ask themselves if they want to play a part in the exploitation of vulnerable people by buying illegal DVDs.”

FACT Director General Kieron Sharp said, “This was not a small scale business - this was a well run and highly organised criminal enterprise with links to international crime gangs that are impacting on the livelihoods of the tens of thousands of people who work in the UK film and TV industries.”