Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

A member of the Organised Crime Investigation Division confiscates CDs and DVDs, which have been illegally reproduced from a house on Red Hills Road, St. Andrew, yesterday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Police yesterday busted a massive bootlegging factory at a house at 50 Red Hills Road, St. Andrew, and said the effort was proof of their increased clampdown on copyright theft which has led to 42 convictions in the past 18 months.

One man was taken into custody at the house while The Gleaner watched officers leaving with what they said were 35,000 CDs, DVDs and audio cassettes which were stuffed inside barrels, suitcases, filing cabinets, boxes and bags. In what police rated as one of their biggest hauls so far, they estimated the seized goods had a street value of more than $1 million. They also seized computer equipment, CD burners, software and labels.

Senior Superintendent Devon Watkis, of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), said the investigation was at an early stage, but that it was similar to other organised crime gangs in its modus operandi.

Special focus

"This is part of our special focus on the major players and distributors," said SSP Watkis. "We are also a little bit more concerned (apart from the piracy itself) about the diversion of proceeds to finance the purchase of guns and ammunition. We see it as an opportunity to extend our reach into tackling all areas of criminal activity."

On Wednesday, two persons were convicted in the Corporate Area Criminal Court after their arrest for selling pirated DVDs on Constant Spring Road last week. Troy Knight, 23, of Seaview Gardens, St. Andrew, and Ricardo Gibson, 18, had been charged with breaching the Copyright Act. Four others, who pleaded not guilty after being arrested under similar circumstances the week before, are scheduled to return to court on September 27.

Melanie Graham, Marketing Manager of Palace Amusement Company Ltd., who has long complained about bootleg DVDs which undercut official movie releases by reaching the street before local cinema screens, welcomed the bust as a reaction by police to pressure from anti-piracy campaigners.

Besides the coalition Jamaica Anti-Piracy Alliance (JAPA), of which it is a part, Palace have launched its own anti-piracy campaign, handing out bumper stickers saying, 'JA, say no to movie piracy'. The campaign is being supported by film distributors Twentieth Century Fox, who are donating part of the proceeds from their local box office revenues.

"Oh yes, it's definitely a problem! How can you conduct legitimate business with a playing field that is not level?" Mrs. Graham said. "You have all the high costs you have to pay and yet you are competing with stolen goods - piracy is just a nice way of saying stolen goods!"