Arkansas
November 5, 2005 - Investigators
obtained a voluntary surrender of 2,386
counterfeit CD-Rs and 509 piratical DVDs from
a vendor at the annual University of Arkansas
Pine Bluff Homecoming game. The vendor
initially claimed to be from Tennessee but a
subsequent interview revealed that he is from the
Atlanta area. The originating source of his
product is a group of Asian vendors distributing
counterfeit CD-Rs out of New York. The CDs
were purchased at the Smiley Flea Market in
Macon, Georgia and brought to Arkansas for
sale.
November 2, 2005 - A Little Rock defendant
was sentenced in the U.S. District Court to seven
months in Federal prison, seven months of
community incarceration, three years probation
and ordered to pay $26,469 in restitution to the
RIAA. This was the result of an August 2004
arrest and seizure of 4,000 counterfeit CD-Rs
and eight CD-R burners.
California
November 2005 - law enforcement officials in the state of California
assisted by RIAA, arrested and charged 56
offenders in connection with the seizure of
47,945 counterfeit and piratical CDs and
CD-Rs.
Florida
November 17, 2005 - A Jacksonville man
previously arrested with 4,000 piratical CD-Rs at
the Norwood Flea Market in July of 2005, was
sentenced to four years probation and ordered to
pay $11,500 in restitution to the RIAA.
November 12, 2005 - RIAA investigators
assisted members of the Pinellas County Sheriff's
Office in a joint enforcement operation at the
Wagon Wheel Flea Market in Pinellas Park. All
three suspects at the scene were arrested with
various charges and 6,659 piratical CD-Rs were
seized.
Georgia
November 17, 2005 - Members of the Atlanta
Police Department received reports that drug
activity was taking place on Martin Luther King
Boulevard. Officers responded to the scene and
upon arrival they observed three individuals exit
a black Ford Explorer and enter an unnamed
store. The Officer approached the store to make
contact with the individuals and observed in
plain view, suspected counterfeit compact discs,
DVDs and raw materials used to manufacture
illegal compact discs. Members of the RIAA
Anti-Piracy Unit were notified and responded to
the scene to identify the suspected illicit material
and assist in processing. Seized from the store
were 18 CD-R burners, 1,076 counterfeit
compact discs, 1,454 counterfeit DVDs, 656
CD-R cases, 10,000 counterfeit labels, 1,200
blank CD-R, 200 blank DVD-R, 440 trays. All
of the offenders were arrested and charged.
November 17, 2005 - The Atlanta Police
Department made a covert purchase of illicit
sound recordings at a suspected distribution
location identified by members of the RIAA
Anti-Piracy Unit. The buy/bust, which occurred
on Campbellton Road, resulted in the seizure of
23 CD-R burners, 21,018 counterfeit CD-Rs,
7,835 counterfeit movie DVD, five commercial
grade copiers and approximately 40,000 insert
cards. Also seized as a result of this action were
eight pounds of marijuana and one illegal
handgun. Two suspects were arrested on the
scene were and transported to central booking for
further processing.
November 15, 2005 - The Atlanta Police
Department assisted by the RIAA executed a
plain view seizure at a distribution location on
Cascade Road and arrested two suspects located
on the premises. A total of 4,425 counterfeit
CD-Rs and 2,201 counterfeit movie DVDs were
seized.
November 9, 2005, based on intelligence
developed by the Dekalb Police and confirmed
with RIAA investigators, a search warrant was
executed in Clarkson and two suspects were
arrested. In total, 1,865 counterfeit CD-Rs and
449 counterfeit movie DVDs were seized.
Illinois
November 26, 2005 - Multiple voluntary
surrender agreements were served in a Chicago
area known for the sale of illegal CD-Rs.
Several street vendors surrendered a total of
1,112 counterfeit and piratical CD-Rs.
November 19, 2005 - RIAA investigators
conducted voluntary surrender agreements on
several street vendors on the 2700 block of
Cermak Avenue in Chicago. Seized from the
vendors were 1,476 counterfeit and piratical
CD-Rs.
Kentucky
November 20, 2005 - Following a complaint
regarding the Hazard Village Flea Market, RIAA
investigators discovered a vendor selling
counterfeit CD-Rs. The vendor was presented a
voluntary surrender and 738 counterfeit CD-Rs
and six DVDs were confiscated. An
investigation is continuing as it is suspected that
the suspect is burning the CD-Rs at his home.
Michigan
November 21, 2005 - While investigating a
report for breaking and entering at a retail store
in Saginaw, police officers discovered illegal
CDs and DVDs and other manufacturing
material inside the store. The officers contacted
local FBI agents who responded to the scene and
observed what appeared to be thousands of
counterfeit CD-Rs and DVD-Rs in the store. The
suspect inside the store admitted to
manufacturing, selling and distributing
counterfeit music and movies and claims he did
so on his own and was aware he was violating
the law by doing so. The offender also stated that
he has been at the location for over two years
and sells the CDs for $2.00 and the movie DVDs
for $2.50 at which point he was arrested and all
of the materials were confiscated. The FBI
contacted RIAA investigators and requested that
they report to the Bay City FBI Office and
confirm the counterfeit nature of the CD-Rs
confiscated. Over a two-day period, RIAA
investigators counted and confirmed the
illegality of 9,480 counterfeit CD-Rs, 111
CD/DVD burners, 10,000 blank CD-Rs and
DVD-Rs and 1,380 counterfeit movie
DVD-Rs. RIAA investigators first received
information regarding this business selling
illegal CD-Rs through an anonymous tip and
made an undercover buy at the location prior to
informing police of the illegal activity.
November 11, 2005 - A Muskegon man was
arrested during a traffic stop after police
observed several illegal CDs and DVDs inside
his vehicle. Muskegon police requested that
RIAA investigators report to the station to verify
the evidence. Accompanied by an MPAA
representative, investigators reported to the
Muskegon police station and confirmed the
illegality of 1,180 counterfeit and piratical
CD-Rs and 1,146 counterfeit movie DVD-Rs.
The suspect was charged accordingly.
November 1, 2005 - A Michigan CD/DVD
manufacturer was arrested for a second time
following a tip that lead police to a second store
owned by the manufacturer in Kalamazoo. The
suspect’s trial was about to begin for his first
arrest but was put on hold so law enforcement
could conduct a search warrant on his 2nd
business. US Customs and Immigration
enforcement agents confiscated 4,480 counterfeit
and piratical CD-Rs, 658 counterfeit movie
DVD-Rs and 28 CD-R burners from the
business. The suspect was first arrested in May
of 2005 where US Customs agents confiscated
4,772 counterfeit CD-Rs, 4,899 counterfeit
movie DVD-Rs and 29 CD-R burners.
October 18, 2005 - A recidivist was arrested
after Detroit police observed him with illegal
CD-Rs. Officers confiscated 229 counterfeit CD-Rs from the suspect and secured a search
warrant for the suspect’s home. Following his
release, officers arrived at the suspect’s home to
serve the warrant and witnessed the suspect
moving manufacturing equipment from his home
to his vehicle. The warrant was served and the
officers recovered 10 CD/DVD-R burners, 300
blank CD-Rs, 292 blank DVD-Rs and 41
counterfeit movie DVD-Rs.
Mississippi
November 8, 2005 - A street vendor observed
trying to sell counterfeit CDs was apprehended at
the corner of MS Hwy16 and 39 in Dekalb.
Police seized 484 counterfeit CD-Rs and 77
counterfeit movie DVDs. Subsequent to this
seizure, another search was conducted at the
suspect’s motel room and three CD-R burners
and 750 assorted music and movie labels were
seized.
Missouri
November 15, 2005 - A Kansas City man was
sentenced to five years in prison without parole
for the sale and distribution of piratical product
in Kansas City. The conviction against the
defendant was the result of a concerted long term
investigation involving the RIAA, ICE and the
Jackson County Narcotic Task Force. The
sentence was an upward departure from the
sentencing guidelines and he was also required to
pay $8,110 in restitution as the result of an arrest
in May of 2004. Seized at the time of his arrest
were 344 counterfeit CD-Rs and 73 counterfeit
movie DVDs.
New York
November 22, 2005 - Multiple enforcement
actions were taken on Broadway in New York
City by the New York Police Department’s
Organized Crimes Investigations Division, with
assistance by RIAA investigators. No suspects
were arrested at the scene, however, 14,680
piratical CD-Rs, 4,420 counterfeit CD-Rs and
8,412 counterfeit movie DVD-Rs were seized.
November 15, 2005 - The New York State
Police assisted by RIAA and MPAA
investigators, executed a search warrant at a
burner lab located in Rochester. As a result, 153
CD-R burners, 3,761 counterfeit CD-Rs, 3,761
piratical CD-Rs, 40,000 pieces of raw materials
and $16,000 in US currency were seized. Also
seized from this location were five handguns,
6,260 counterfeit movie DVDs and the discovery
of a human skull. The suspect at the location was
placed under arrest and the charges have yet to
be determined.
North Carolina
November 5, 2005 - RIAA investigators
assisted the North Carolina Secretary of State's
Office and the North Carolina Alcohol Law
Enforcement Division with an enforcement
operation at Smiley's Flea Market located in
Henderson County. The market has been the
subject of numerous complaints regarding the
selling of unauthorized sound recordings. Seized
during the raid were 7,832 counterfeit CD-Rs
and six suspects were arrested.
November 2, 2005 - The Charlotte -
Mecklenburg Police Department seized 1,038
piratical CD-Rs and 32 counterfeit movie DVDs
from a retail cigar shop located in Charlotte. The
owner of the store was charged in this matter.
Texas
November 29, 2005 - RIAA and MPAA
investigators assisted the Fort Worth Police
Department with the execution of a search
warrant on Normandy Road. Officers seized
approximately 1,000 counterfeit movie DVDs,
300 piratical CD-Rs and twelve CD-R burners
from the residence. Charges are pending against
the suspect.
November 29, 2005 - RIAA investigators assisted
Fort Worth Police with execution of a search
warrant at a retail location inside the Lancaster
Bazaar. Officers seized 2,044 piratical and
counterfeit CD-Rs from the owner/operator. The
owner was not arrested but charges are pending
for violation of the Texas True Name and
Address Statute.
November 21, 2005 - Two days after receiving
anti-piracy training, patrol officers with the
Mansfield Texas Police Department discovered
links to a piracy operation during a traffic stop.
Immediately thereafter, RIAA investigators
assisted the detectives with a search warrant at a
burner lab operating out of a rural residence and
offsite storage unit. Seized from the suspects
residence were 5,300 counterfeit movie
DVD-Rs, 577 counterfeit CD-Rs and 19 CD-R
Burners. An investigation into the suspect's raw
material supplier is underway and charges for
violation of the state true name and address
statue and possession of illegal weapons are
expected.
November 20, 2005 - Members of the Dallas Police
Department, assisted by RIAA and MPAA
investigators seized 1,100 piratical CD-Rs and
1,500 counterfeit movie DVDs, and four CD-R
burners from six vendors at the Kleberg Flea
Market. Charges are pending for violation of the
Texas True Name and Address Statute.
November 20, 2005 - The Austin Police
Department, assisted by the RIAA, conducted
plain view seizures from one distributor and
eight vendors operating at the El Gran Mercado
Flea Market. Seized from this enforcement
action were a total of 19,974 piratical CD-Rs,
140 piratical music DVDs and 358 counterfeit
movie DVDs. Charges will be filed at a later date
for violation of the Texas True Name and
Address Statute against the distributor and
selected vendors. This incident was in response
to complaints from local legitimate music
retailers about the growing music piracy problem
in Austin.