IPRP Team Raided Pirated Optical Disc Factory. Over TWD100 Million Lost to Infringement. Brand New Method -- Mailing Catalogues of Pirated Items by Red Envelope.

Chiayi Team of the Third Company of the Intellectual Property Rights Police Team (IPRP) initiated a large-scale raid action at Jungli City, Taoyuan County with a search warrant against the alleged illegal pirated vendors based on their newspaper inserts/newspaper insert advertising and evidences collected over a number of months.  The operation seized 3 sets of computer mainframe, 207 sets of optical disc burner, 1 set of photocopy machine, over 70,000 pirated optical disks, over 100 pieces of counterfeits bearing the LV and GUCCI trademarks (among others).  The seized counterfeit products include the recently deceased King of Pop-Michael Jackson’s concert selection and movies which have not been shown in the theaters yet, such as UP.  A rough estimation of the market value on the seized items amounts to over TWD100 million.

The major difference, which sets this case apart from the other cases, is that the alleged suspect with the intention to cover his criminal acts inserted catalogues (listing his telephone number and the names of pirated optical discs and pornography optical disks) in the red envelope which in practice is used to mail wedding invitation cards.  The alleged suspect sent out massive mails to the general public in order to solicit sales and cover his illegal acts.  Promotional campaign advertises that purchases made for buying boutique items bearing the LV and GUCCI trademarks (among others) in addition to the pirated optical disks can enjoy a special discount.  With the police’s successful raid action against the alleged suspect, we believe that illegal activities for selling pirated optical disks through newspaper inserts should be vigorously suppressed.  The police force is now trying to trace the source of these pirated optical discs.  (2009.07)