RIAA Anti-Piracy Seizure Information
California | Illinois | New York | Texas
California
December 9, 2008 – When members of the San Jose PD and Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Dept. knocked on a local residential door, they received no response. The criminal, who was in fact inside, must have peeked through the side window and pretended not to be home. Unfortunately for the resident, officials carry a large ramming tool…just in case criminals pretend to “not be home.” After ramming the reinforced door over a half dozen times, officials finally gained access to the residence. During the execution of their search warrant, officials discovered why the criminal refused to answer the door. Inside the residence, officials had trouble finding beds, desks, tables and most furniture that would help make up a single-family home. Instead of everyday home furniture, the owner had converted his small residence into an illegal CD/DVD warehouse. Investigators from the RIAA Western Region Office assisted officials in searching through the residential warehouse. After three suspects were arrested, investigators helped seize 40 burners and 115,000 pirated CDs and DVDs, most of which were pressed products.
December 9, 2008 – During another San Jose investigation, a camera phone helped put a local pirate behind bars. During an undercover buy at an illegal CD plant in San Jose, camera phone images were used to identify the products inside the residence. A search warrant was finally obtained on December 9, 2008, and investigators assisted members of the San Jose PD in the enforcement. Thanks to the camera phone images, officials were able to seize 53 burners, 93,139 counterfeit CDs and 15,269 DVDs.
Illinois
December 4, 2008 – Chicago officials discovered an illegally entertaining cultural restaurant offering patrons CDs, DVDs along with their menu serving Vietnamese food. Central Region investigators worked with members of the Area 5 Gang Suppression Team to bust the Vietnamese restaurant. Inside the location, officials learned customers would place orders for movies for music while they ate their meal. The illegally-entertaining restaurant was caught without any specific Vietnamese culture, but officials did find a seize 8 burners, 450 DVDRs, three bags of cocaine and three bags of marijuana.
New York
December 8, 2008 – Officials uncovered a criminal who was caught running a literal underground operation in Brooklyn. The criminal was discovered by members of the NYPD 79th Pct. Officials were conducting a burglary watch when they observed a location with an open door. During further investigation, officials discovered a criminal running a large manufacturing operation from his dark, underground home office. Assisted by members of the RIAA New York Office, officials executed a search warrant. Inside the criminal’s office space, investigators were able to help seize 142 burners, 273 CDRs 4,930 DVDRs and 27 music DVDRs.
December 9, 2008 – Officials in Brooklyn uncovered another basement manufacturing operation. Investigators from the New York Office teamed up with members of the NYPD Brooklyn South Anti Crime unit to execute a search warrant. The location advertised as an African Movie store; however, officials found much more inside the retail location. Without fooling officials, the owner was found operating a large burner lab in the store’s basement. Inside the basement, officials located and seized 81 burners, 17,000 pirated CDRs, 100 music DVDs and 910 DVDs.
Texas
December 21, 2008 – RIAA Investigators from the Southern Region assisted members of the Dallas Police in busting the unoriginal shop owner. Teamed together, officers and investigators entered the business and immediately found three suspects inside. After clearing the building, officials observed a large CD/DVD manufacturing operation. Just as the business name ever so discreetly mentioned, officials found thousands of pirated CDs ( the “Music”) and two pounds of marijuana (the “And More”). Two suspects were arrested from the retail location and a total of 16 burners, 1,510 CDs, 1,729 DVDs and 225 blank CDs were seized. Also seized was a cellophane shrink wrap machine for jewel cases.