Don't Fill Your Stockings
With Pirate DVDs, Shoppers Warned |
21 Dec 2004 |
Christmas shoppers are being warned to avoid pirate
DVDs in their search for a festive bargain.
South Tyneside Council's Trading Standards is backing
the national pre-Christmas blitz on counterfeit goods
by the Industry Trust for IP Awareness.
The campaign aims to shatter the illusion of DVD pirates
as harmless "Del Boy" characters, by highlighting
the involvement of serious criminals such as paramilitary
groups and people traffickers in the distribution of
pirate DVDs.
Councillor Michael Clare, Lead Member for Neighbourhood
Services said: "I urge parents and children alike
in the run up to Christmas to think twice about where
their money is going if they purchase a counterfeit
or pirate DVD as a present. Shoppers are always looking
for a bargain and at Christmas the pressure is really
on.
"It's critical that people realise that the bargain
they think they will get with a counterfeit or pirate
DVD may well be poor quality and lacking the additional
features that you get on genuine DVDs. I believe that
when they realise that their money is going into the
pockets of some very unsavoury criminals, more and more
shoppers will turn their backs on these illegal products."
Lavinia Carey, Director General of the British Video
Association, added: "Many people still see DVD
piracy as a victimless crime. However we believe that
as more people come to understand that organised criminals
who are drug dealers and people traffickers are involved
in piracy, they will wish to disassociate themselves
from pirate products."
Trading Standards Officers and the industry's investigators,
The Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) are targeting
big criminal players who are distributing piracy from
behind the scenes.
If any members of the public have any information that
might assist Trading Standards, they can give details
in complete confidence via a free hotline 0800 093 5878
or online.
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