More than 6 million pirated items had been confiscated by
Chinese police by the end of August as part of a 100-day crackdown
on piracy, according to the Ministry of Public Security
yesterday.
Local police had raided more than 32,000 publication markets and
distribution businesses and closed down 355 companies engaged in
the business of illegally copied material, said a report by the
ministry.
Starting on July 25 the campaign was said to be unprecedented in
terms of its duration and number of government departments
involved. Copyright officials played a major part in the
operation.? But cases involving particularly large amounts of
pirated goods are being handled by police. The ministry didn't
explain details of the criteria for police involvement.
Police were said to have cracked 780 cases. Three hideouts with
more than 286,000 illegal CDs and DVDs were demolished in Fuyang
City, east China's Anhui Province. More than 20,000 pirated books
were seized in a print house in Liaocheng City, east China's Shandong Province. Police in east China's Jiangsu Province also stopped a criminal gang
who'd set up a provincial sales network, seizing 21 suspects and
more than 200,000 illegal CDs and DVDs.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2006)
