CABRAMATTA MOVIE PIRATE COUNTS COST OF HER CRIMES
14 May 2009
download as PDFSYDNEY: On 13 May, at Liverpool Local Court in Sydney, Ms Tai Kim Tran was convicted of 24 copyright crimes relating to pirated movies and fined $6,200. On passing judgment, Magistrate Budgen said that the court must send a deterrent message to the community.
Commenting on the conviction, Neil Gane, Director of Operations for AFACT said: “The movie and TV industries make a significant contribution to Australian jobs and our economy, and local businesses like cinemas and DVD stores are the victims of these damaging crimes. Movie piracy crimes will be thoroughly investigated and the culprits brought before the courts.”
The sentencing was the conclusion to a June 2008 raid by New South Wales Police supported by investigators from the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) on the Hong Video shop in Cabramatta. During the operation, Police seized 3,800 pirated movie DVDs and a DVD burner operation consisting of 43 burners with the capacity to produce more than a million pirated DVDs per year. Pirated movie DVDs seized at the premises included copies of "The Bank Job" which was co-produced by the Australian production company Omnilab Media.
When told that pirated copies of “The Bank Job” had been seized, Christopher Mapp, Omnilab Media Managing Director, said that movie piracy has a potentially devastating effect on the Australian film industry: “We are an Australian company investing in Australian and international films. The royalties that we would have received on pirated copies if legitimate were slated to be reinvested into the local film industry. Instead the revenues from pirated copies are likely to end up funding more criminal activity,” he said. “The anti-piracy activity that the Police and AFACT are undertaking is extremely important in protecting our investment and ultimately the livelihood of our industry.”
Courts are getting tougher on copyright offences and those profiting from this crime increasingly risk serious penalties including jail time. In a separate recent conviction, at Burwood Local Court in Sydney on 30 April 2009, Mr Quing Wang, 45, was sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence of nine months after he pleaded guilty to 25 copyright crimes relating to the seizure on 18 May 2008 of just 300 pirated movie DVDs from a stall operated by Wang at the weekend market at Kingsford. The sentence took into account that Wang had a criminal record for similar offences and had just finished a community service order for copyright offences.
About AFACT
AFACT works closely with industry, government, police and educational institutions to address copyright theft and protect the interests of the film and television industry as well as the interests of Australian movie fans.
In 2008, state and federal police conducted 51 raids involving movie piracy and seized 544,697 pirated DVDs. They also seized 488 burners capable of producing 12 million pirated DVDs a year with a potential street value of over $61million.
AFACT acts on behalf of the 50,000 Australians and small businesses under threat from copyright theft, including independent cinemas, video rental stores and film and television producers across the country.
Contact:
For interviews with Neil Gane, AFACT, contact:
Stephen Jenner: (02) 9997 8011
After hours: 0409 776 196
info@afact.com.au
www.afact.com.au
