RIAA Anti-Piracy Seizure Information
California | New Mexico | New York | Pennsylvania | Texas
California
July 27, 2008 – Officials with the Bakersfield PD uncovered illegal activity at a local swap meet. Officials busted the swap meet after suspicion of selling illegally recorded DVDs and CDs. They were able to seize a total of 14,000 CDs and DVDs with a value of over $220,000. The large operation also resulted in 10 suspects being arrested.
New Mexico
July 22, 2008 – A suspect in New Mexico can now relate to St. Louis’ pain. After seven years of surveillance and investigations, officials finally put the pirate behind bars. Investigators helped execute a search warrant at the suspect’s retail store. They were able to help the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office seize 14 burners along with 7,800 pirated CDRs
New York
July 24, 2008 – The RIAA New York Office assisted the NYPD’s Brooklyn District Attorney’s Squad in the execution of a search warrant at the first retail store. The “clothing store” was found doubling as a distributor of thousands of counterfeit CDRs and movies. Two suspects were arrested for running the distribution center and caught with 20,000 CDRs and 7,105 MPAA movies. The second retail store was uncovered on July 25 by the New York office and the NYPD 77th Pct. At the supposed “discount center,” officials executed another search warrant and arrested one individual. Officials seized a total of 17 burners, 6,450 CDRs and six boxes of raw material.
Pennsylvania
July 9, 2008 – Investigators worked alongside officers from the Philadelphia PD to execute a search warrant on a determined criminal who ran both a burner lab and a distribution center. While running the illegal operation, the suspect was burglarized not once, but twice by his fellow criminal peers. Each time his property was stolen, he packed up, changed locations and started a new operation. The suspect also upgraded his security measures each time as well. During the suspect’s determination to keep his illegal business running, he forgot to check his rearview mirror. Investigators had been following the suspect from one burglary location to the next. On July 9, 2008, while executing a search warrant, officials with the Philadelphia PD were able to seize 55 burners and over 4,000 pieces of counterfeit music and movies.
Texas
July 2, 2008 – On July 16, 2007 officials with the Frisco Police Department arrested a suspect for running more than a burner lab. The man was caught with not only several burners, thousands of pirated CDRs and DVDs but also a large amount of marijuana, cocaine and several guns. One of which matched the description of a previous robbery in the area. Fast forward to July 2, 2008, and the Texas man was forced to pay for his mistakes, figuratively and literally. Not only was he sentenced to 30 months behind bars along with one year of supervised probation, he was also forced to pay over $90,000 in restitution to the RIAA and the MPAA
July 9, 2008 – Officials with the Fort Worth Police Narcotics Division notified RIAA Investigators about a residential burner lab. The Southern Region Investigators arrived and confirmed the illicit product and burners. Inside the residence, investigators uncovered a large manufacturing operation containing 113 burners. They also found and seized 3,800 CDRs, 10,000 DVDs, 4 vehicles, 1 firearm and over $3,000 in cash. As officials continued their search, a second search warrant was executed at a nearby storage facility. An additional 9 burners, 1,396 CDRs and 2,776 DVDs were seized.
July 9, 2008 – A suspect’s illegal business plan allowed customers who were unable to find the legal CD they were looking for inside Best Buy, to venture out to his business located in the parking lot. If they could not find what they needed in Best Buy, he offered an illegal alternative at a “Better Buy.” Unfortunately for the illegal salesman, “Better Buy” has its doors closed to the public. Officials uncovered the “Better Buy” operation on
July 9, 2008 – The Irving PD responded to a complaint of the suspect selling counterfeit CDs and DVDs in the Best Buy parking lot. Upon speaking with the officers, the suspect admitted to offering an illegal competition to the CDs and DVDs inside Best Buy. As officials approached the suspect, they noticed him remove an object from his waistband and place it under one of the police vehicles. Officers retrieved the .38 caliber revolver and searched the suspect’s vehicle. Officers were then able to seize 612 counterfeit DVDs and 39 counterfeit CDs.
July 13, 2008 – RIAA investigators worked with the Medina County Sheriff’s Office Deputies on July 13, 2008, to a suspected pirate. He was caught at a local flea market operating a burner lab. The suspect was searched and officials seized 5 burners, 768 CDs and 33 DVDs.