RIAA Anti-Piracy Seizure Information
California | Florida | Georgia | New York | Ohio | Texas
California
October 23, 2008 – Off-duty RIAA investigators from the Western Regional Office were strolling the streets of downtown Los Angeles when a pirating lab simply fell into their collective laps. The investigators came across the manufacturing operation and immediately notified the local officials. After contacting the LAPD Central Station, officers conducted enforcement at the downtown location. Officials arrested one individual for manufacturing pirated merchandise. Investigators were also able to help seize a total of 40 burners, 2,218 CDRs and 12,096 DVDs.
Florida
October 2, 2008 – Investigators worked with the Fort Myers Police Dept. to conduct enforcement on a local gas station. During the enforcement, officials uncovered much more than snacks and slurpees. Inside the business, investigators helped officials locate thousands of CDRs and DVDRs. Aside from making three-day-old hot dogs, officers discovered the gas station was also making pirated CDs and DVDs. A small burner lab was uncovered and officials were able to confiscate 10 burners, 1,109 CDRs and 807 DVDRs. Along with the pirated CDs, DVDs and assortment of potato chips, officials also seized less than a gram of crack cocaine, 90 pills of MDMA (Ecstacy) and three firearms.
Georgia
October 2, 2008 – An officer with Atlanta’s Marta Police Dept. was riding the train, when an out-of-the-ordinary passenger approached. Officials are used to busting people for eating or drinking on the subway, but this official was about to bust an illegal entrepreneur for something completely different. The man approached the official and attempted to sell her counterfeit CDs and DVDs. Immediately suspecting the product was in fact counterfeit, the Marta official placed the suspect under arrest and seized 36 CDRs.
New York
October 2008 – Investigators in New York helped discover an illegal operation. Along with the NYPD’s 34 Pct., investigators assisted in uncovering a large Latin burner lab in New York City. Officials executed a search warrant on an apartment in the city. During their search, investigators helped arrest one individual and seize 24 burners, 8,900 Latin CDRs and 1,500 Latin Music DVDRs.
Ohio
October 2008 – Criminals in Columbus, Ohio experienced the wrath of a ‘triple-threat’ busts. Separately, RIAA Investigators, Local Detectives and FBI Agents were busy in October 2008. The law enforcement triple-threat combined to stop an illegal distribution operation. Working side-by-side, investigators, detectives and FBI agents executed raids at Columbus storage units. At the storage facilities, officials were able to work together and seize 11,000 CDRs along with 7,500 DVDRs.
Texas
October 2008 – Officials in Dallas experienced similar frustration when they discovered a man offering “any CD” for sale. While surveying for street vendors, they located a suspect who told investigators he could get them any CD they wanted. Unfortunately for the criminal, what he meant to say was ‘any CD…well, except for the legal ones.’ Investigators contacted the Dallas PD and set up a search warrant. Inside the criminal’s studio, investigators helped discover more than a manufacturing operation. Along with 14 burners, 1,065 CDs and 954 DVDs, officials also seized four pounds of marijuana and a revolver.
October 22, 2008 – Officials in Dallas stumbled upon a carelessness criminal, leading to an unexpected bust. Members of the Dallas Police conducted a traffic stop in front of a retail location. While conducting the traffic stop, officers caught an odor of marijuana coming from a nearby retail store. When officers noticed the front door to the business had been left open, they decided to investigate. Inside the retail store, they uncovered thousands of CDs, DVDs and a large amount of cocaine. Investigators from the Southern Region met up with officials from the Dallas PD to follow up the next day. Officials and investigators returned to the retail store and placed the owner under arrest. They were able to seize a total of 11 burners, 5,015 CDs and 433 DVDs. Officials also seized 22 grams of cocaine along with a shotgun.