Computers seized in net raid
9 March 2009
Manchester City Council trading standards officers seized computers after raiding the alleged base of a website which enabled customers to watch and download illegal copies of movies.
The City Council's officers, accompanied by Greater Manchester Police and representatives of the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) raided the house in Withington.
They seized four laptops, one PC, paperwork and around 200 discs containing Hollywood and Bollywood movies, TV series, Playstation games and business software.
The house was believed to be the base of a web-streaming operation, in which customers were able to watch illegal copies of films and TV programmes and also get access to illegal copies of games and software.
A man was questioned by City Council officers, following the raid on Thursday 26 February, and was released on bail pending further investigations. The computers have been taken away for further analysis.
Councillor Richard Cowell, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for the Environment, said: "Although people who operate websites distributing illegal copies of movies may think it is a victimless crime, it has a knock-on effect on the rest of the economy at a time when jobs are under threat.
"Our trading standards officers regularly work with Greater Manchester Police and Fact to crack down on this problem, and anyone involved in this trade should be warned that we will prosecute them."
