Police smash pirate CD, DVD factory

By Humphrey Carter THE Guardia Civil yesterday confiscated 12.000 pirate CDs and DVDs in a raid on a property in Arenal. Yesterday's operation was mounted by the Guardia Civil from Arta and Llucmajor and also resulted in the arrest of three Senegalese suspects. According to the police, who launched an investigation into the activities of the three detainees some weeks ago, the pirate CD's and DVD's were being distributed in Majorca's bars and nightclubs and nearly 300.000 euros of computer equipment was also seized from the Arenal flat. Police sources said that the investigation was stepped up following the arrests of two men on November 15 who led police to the alleged Arenal pirate CD and DVD factory. Inside the flat yesterday, police found two computer systems for copying discs along with a 8.300 fake CDs and 4.000 pirate DVDs along with thousands of colour sleeves for DVD and CD cases. Police also found a number of fake identification documents at the scene. The raid was welcomed by Majorca's video clubs yesterday who issued a plea for the public not to buy pirate CDs and DVDs as presents this Christmas. Over the next few days a pre-Christmas campaign, backed by the local government, is going to be launched urging the public not to purchase ilegal CDs and DVDs. The loss in business for DVD rental stores caused by the pirate DVD industry in Majorca has directly effected some 1.000 people in the industry.