RIAA Anti-Piracy Seizure Information
Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Florida | Georgia | Illinois | Maryland | Massachusetts | Missouri | Nevada | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | Ohio | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas
Alabama
August 4, 2005 – The Jackson Police Department executed a search warrant at a retail store on College Avenue resulting in the seizure of 3,786 counterfeit CD-Rs and 1,264 counterfeit DVDs. No arrests were made.
August 2, 2005 – The Birmingham Police encountered a suspect selling illegal DVDs in a parking lot. After initiating contact, the suspect was arrested and 5,875 counterfeit DVDs, 24 music masters and 200 blank CDs were seized.
Arizona
August 20, 2005 – 327 piratical CD-Rs were seized by the Phoenix Police Department. The suspect present at the location was arrested and charged.
Arkansas
August 21, 2005 – RIAA investigators conducted a voluntary surrender at a Flea Market in White Hall and confiscated 187 piratical CD-Rs from one vendor.
August 19, 2005 – An alert patrol officer in Little Rock stopped a motorist engaged in suspicious behavior and subsequently recovered 13 piratical CD-Rs and 22 piratical DVDs. The suspect is a known distributor of pirated sound recordings and was originally detected by the RIAA in late 2003. This same suspect previously boasted to investigators that he was too smart to get caught and now faces felony charges in Pulaski County.
August 16, 2005 – Two defendants from Chicago and a third from Phoenix, Illinois, each pled guilty to one felony count of Arkansas’ True Name and Address Statute in the 11th West Judicial District, Circuit Court in Pine Bluff. Each offender was sentenced to five years incarceration suspended, five years probation, fined $250 each and joint liability for $2,000 restitution to be paid at sentencing to the RIAA. In addition, the court ordered the forfeiture of $423 seized at the time of arrest, including 17 CD-R Burners, 332 counterfeit CD-Rs and 3,500 counterfeit movie DVDs.
August 1, 2005 – During the week of July 25 through July 29, 2005, seventy-eight police officers from the Pine Bluff Arkansas Police Department received in-service training on Sound Recording Anti-Piracy Awareness and Enforcement.
California
August 28, 2005 – 4,828 piratical CDs and CD-Rs were seized by the Oceanside Police Department from eight vendors at the Oceanside Swap Meet. All of the suspects were arrested and charged.
August 11, 2005 – 1,202 piratical CD-Rs and 1,959 counterfeit movie DVDs were seized by the Los Angeles Police Department Vice Unit during a search warrant raid. Also seized were 30 CD-R Burners, three printers, computers, CD and DVD inserts and other raw materials. The suspect on hand was placed under felony arrest.
August 2005 – During the month of August, the RIAA trained 235 members of Law Enforcement on Anti-Piracy measures throughout the state of California. Trained at the various sessions were Police Officers from Santa Maria, Madera County, South San Francisco, Gardena, California Highway Patrol San Jose, State of California Association of Code Enforcement, Oceanside, the Vista Code Enforcement Unit, Escondido Code Enforcement Unit and Patrol, Fremont and Santa Clara County Training Officers Unit. Various law enforcement officials in the state of California also seized 9,989 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs, 1,215 counterfeit movie DVDs and arrested 29 suspects.
Florida
August 25, 2005 – A vendor at the Pensacola Flea Market, was convicted and sentenced to 2 years probation, 120 hours of community service, ordered to pay $290 in courts costs, $50 in state fee and $250 in public defender costs.
Georgia
August 23, 2005 – The Atlanta Police Department responded to an unnamed retail store located on Bankhead Highway. Officers seized 1,430 counterfeit CD-Rs and 384 counterfeit DVDs as evidence. An arrest warrant is out for the owner of the store.
August 17, 2005 – The Atlanta Police Department conducted plain view seizures on Campbellton Road. A total of 19,033 counterfeit CD-Rs and 10,730 counterfeit movie DVDs were seized. The four suspects on the scene were arrested and charged with violation of the Georgia True Name and Address statute. Additionally, approximately fourteen others were charged with Disorderly Conduct for buying goods at the location.
August 13, 2005 – The Atlanta Police Department requested assistance from RIAA investigators to identify and box suspected counterfeit music at a Flea Market on Ralph Abernathy Road. Although the owners of the booths were not present, the APD were given the owners’ names by the property manager. Seized were a total of 37,945 counterfeit CD-Rs and 12,151 counterfeit movie DVDs.
August 12, 2005 – An Atlanta man plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts and was sentenced to 11 months probation and restitution in the amount of $3,100. The defendant stated on record before a judge that he understands that the activity of selling counterfeit materials is unlawful and he will not participate in such conduct in the future. The offender was previously arrested in Atlanta in January of 2005 with 12,865 counterfeit CD-Rs in his possession.
August 10, 2005 – The Atlanta Police Department requested assistance from the RIAA to identify and box CD-Rs on Martin Luther King Drive. Seized from the location were a total of 10,600 counterfeit CD-Rs and 4,535 counterfeit movie DVDs. One suspect was arrested and charged.
Illinois
August 2, 2005 – After Chicago police officers responded to a location on West Jackson having obtained information about illegal street sales of counterfeit CDs and DVDs. The officers set up surveillance and witnessed two males displaying CDs and DVDs to people walking by and directing potential customers to a basement apartment to make their purchases. After watching for a period of time, the officers approached both suspects who ran into the basement apartment. The officers followed them into the apartment and observed them unloading boxes of CDs and DVDs onto a table. Both suspects were taken into custody and the counterfeit CD-Rs and movie DVD-Rs were seized. Also seized from the apartment were 61 boxes of counterfeit Nike shoes and two notebooks containing the sales history of the CDs, DVDs, and shoes.
August 2005 – During the month of August, several search warrants and voluntary seizures were executed by officers from the Chicago and Calumet City Police Departments, FBI Agents and RIAA investigators. As a result of these enforcement actions, eleven suspects were arrested on misdemeanor/felony charges and 5,736 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs with an additional 4,682 counterfeit movie DVDs were seized.
Maryland
August 2005 – During the month of August, officers from the City and County of Baltimore assisted by RIAA investigators seized a total of 1,836 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs from street vendors operating in the area. An additional 727 counterfeit movie DVDs were also seized and six vendors were arrested and charged.
Massachusetts
August 24, 2005 – The Worcester Police Department, Motion Picture Association of America and RIAA executed a search warrant at a retail store on Franklin Street resulting in one arrest. Seized from the location were a total of 91 counterfeit CD-Rs, 881 piratical CD-Rs and 164 counterfeit movie DVD-Rs.
Missouri
August 18, 2005 – A St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer stopped a vehicle suspicion of distribution of drugs. After brief surveillance and subsequent search of the vehicle, 633 counterfeit CD-Rs, 341 counterfeit movie DVDs, 54 counterfeit music DVDs and $175 in cash were seized as evidence. The driver of the vehicle was arrested and the car was impounded. Charges are pending in St. Louis Circuit Court.
Nevada
August 2005 – As a result of numerous enforcement actions taken during the month of August, 2,371 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs and seven counterfeit movie DVDs were surrendered or seized from retail locations and swap meats by the North Las Vegas Police Department. A warrant is pending for the arrest of one suspect with another suspect taken into custody and charged accordingly.
New Jersey
August 21, 2005 – The Plainfield Police Department conducted two search warrants at the Supremo Flea Market resulting in three arrests and the seizure of 2,352 counterfeit CD-Rs and 1,473 piratical CD-Rs.
New Mexico
August 13, 2005 – A voluntary surrender was conducted with a vendor at Peddler’s Pavilion Indoor Swap in Las Cruces. A total of 46 counterfeit CD-Rs were surrendered.
New York
August 17, 2005 – The Mid Town South Precinct of the New York Police Department conducted enforcement on Broadway in New York City resulting in the arrest of one suspect and the seizure of 3,046 piratical CD-Rs and 150 counterfeit CD-Rs.
August 12, 2005 – The Manhattan North Narcotics Division of the New York Police executed a search warrant on East 125 Street in New York City. The enforcement resulted in the arrest of two individuals and the seizure of 1,200 counterfeit CD-Rs, 50 piratical CD-Rs and 18 counterfeit music DVDs.
August 11, 2005 – The New York Police Department’s 1st Precinct in conjunction with the NYPD Legal Division, executed a search warrant on Canal Street in New York City. The efforts led to the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of 9,565 piratical CD-Rs, 200 counterfeit CD-Rs and 7,200 counterfeit movie DVDs.
August 9, 2005 – The New York Police Department’s Midtown South Precinct conducted enforcement on West 36th Street in New York City. The enforcement resulted in the seizure of 18,465 counterfeit CD-Rs and 16,200 counterfeit movie DVDs. This case is still under investigation.
North Carolina
August 27, 2005 – RIAA investigators assisted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and State Agents in a raid conducted at the Buckhorne Flea Market in Mebane. A total of 1,000 counterfeit CD-Rs were seized from an abandoned table.
August 21, 2005 – RIAA investigators assisted by the Gaston County Police Department raided the Gastonia 321 Flea Market. The raid produced a seizure of 12,999 counterfeit CD-Rs. Charges are pending against eight vendors approached and confronted by police for selling illicit product.
Ohio
August 30, 2005 – The Lindale Village Police obtained information that a local retail store was selling illegal DVDs. The officers made an undercover purchase of a counterfeit DVD-R with a title that was still being shown at the movie theaters and contacted RIAA investigators as the store was also in possession of counterfeit CDs selling for $5.00 each. A search warrant was obtained for the store and 150 counterfeit CD-Rs and numerous DVD-Rs were confiscated. The store owner and an employee were arrested and charged accordingly.
Oklahoma
August 27, 2005 – RIAA Investigators assisted the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Police Departments with the arrest of several street vendors at the Admiral Flea Market, the Great American Flea Market. Tulsa Police arrested six vendors selling pirated sound recordings from four booths. A total of 5,763 counterfeit CD-Rs were seized. Charges are pending for violating Oklahoma statutes and local news channel KTUL, an ABC affiliate, provided media coverage.
Pennsylvania
August 2005 – During the month of August, Police officers from Upper Darby, Tinicum Township, Philadelphia and the Southeastern PA Transportation Authority assisted by RIAA investigators, led several enforcement actions against retail stores, street vendors and mobile distributors found in possession of counterfeit product. Confiscated as a result of the various actions were a total of 1,260 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs, 1,291 counterfeit movie DVDs, 86 counterfeit music DVDs and the arrests of 19 suspects. In one instance, Philadelphia police officers executed a traffic stop on a vehicle for not stickers. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was stolen from an auto dealership. The driver was placed into custody and asked if he could call someone to pick up his clothes and illegal CDs and DVDs that were inside the vehicle. The suspect stated that selling counterfeit CDs and DVDs was his way of ‘making a living.’ At least (during his arrest) he was being honest.
Rhode Island
August 11, 2005 – As a result of search warrants and plain view seizures, the Providence Police Department assisted by the RIAA arrested two suspects and seized 1,471 piratical CD-Rs and 299 counterfeit movie DVD-Rs from a suspect using a rented U-Hall truck as a mobile distribution center.
South Carolina
August 20, 2005 – RIAA investigators raided the White Horse Flea Market located in Greenville. The market had been the subject of numerous complaints. A total of seven vendors voluntarily surrendered 7,153 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs.
Tennessee
August 6, 2005 – RIAA investigators assisted by the Nashville Metro Police Department, raided the Farmer’s Market located in Downtown Nashville. The raid resulted in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of 1,904 counterfeit CD-Rs.
Texas
August 2005 – During the month of August, officers from Bexar County, Dallas, El Paso and Henderson conducted multiple enforcement actions against street vendors and Flea Markets in an effort to curb the flow of piracy. As a result of their efforts, 4,531 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs and 358 counterfeit movie DVDs were seized. A total of five vendors were arrested and charged with violation of the Texas True Name and Address Statute.