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Alleged Counterfeit DVD Distribution Network Dismantled by the RCMP

MONTREAL, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Yesterday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted two searches in Montreal, leading to the seizure of thousands of counterfeit DVDs and the arrest of eight suspects. These suspects allegedly belong to a network involved in the illegal reproduction and sale of counterfeit DVDs featuring U.S. television series. The accused could face several fraud charges under the Criminal Code and Copyright Act.

As a result of Operation Copyright, thousands of counterfeit DVDs of U.S. television series such as The Six Million-Dollar Man and Ally McBeal, in addition to 200 DVD burnerswere seized. The network allegedly operated from Montreal, selling and distributing counterfeit DVDs through several Web sites.

Victims in the United States and Canada
The counterfeit DVDs were sold as original works at a good price. Victims included Canadian consumers, but the majority of the victims were American citizens.

In February 2007, the RCMP Federal Investigation Section launched an investigation into this alleged network specializing in the reproduction and sale of counterfeit DVDs at the request of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, which had initially investigated this alleged network. The RCMP also received the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency and Canada Post Security and Investigations Services.

Commercial Distribution and Sale Are Illegal
The RCMP takes action and investigates this type of crime if there are grounds to believe that the reproduction of a movie is intended for the purpose of commercial distribution, or to such an extent as to be prejudicial to the copyright holder. Under the Copyright Act, possessing a DVD copied for personal use is not considered a criminal offence.

Every person who copies or reproduces a movie for the purpose of commercial distribution or sale commits an offence under the Copyright Act.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police encourages consumers to be cautious. Counterfeit DVDs are usually of inferior quality. The RCMP invites every person believing to have been misled into purchasing a counterfeit DVD instead of an original copy to report it to the RCMP at 514-939-8307, or to contact the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association at 1 800 363-9166 to verify the legitimacy of Web sites.