Large-scale Piracy Busted. Damages Claimable by Victims Could Amount to NTD1.8 Billion.

The police successfully busted a big optical disc pirate after putting the suspect on surveillance for over two months.  As a result of the search, the police uncovered various recording equipment, over 3,000 master tapes and some 10,000 pirated copies of music CDs, VCDs/DVDs of motion pictures, Japanese and Korean idol soaps, karaoke music, popular music video, etc.  Some of the motion pictures pirated are still showing in theaters and some are yet to premiere in Taiwan.  According to the businesses victimized by the piracy, they may claim a sum of NTD1.8 billion in damages against the pirate.

 

The suspect kept changing places and used false names to hide himself from the police.  He used his own brother’s ID number and other people’s names to send catalogs of the pirated discs he made for sale by email from time to time to unidentified prospective buyers and delivered orders by courier.

 

According to the suspect himself, he could sell over 10,000 copies and earn some NTD100,000 over a one-month period. (2006.07)

/EMA