The Indian film and music industry has long been suffering due to CD and DVD piracy. The UK, allegedly accounts for 70 per cent of the market of pirated Bollywood films and music. And Pakistan is the biggest exporter of pirated discs.
After a major Bollywood pirate was sentenced in the UK last month, now Dutch police have uncovered more than 140,000 pirated CDs and DVDs of popular Indian films and music in a series of simultaneous raids in Rotterdam.
Most of the products are believed to have originated in Pakistan, one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of pirated discs in the world. Empty suitcases at one of the 13 shops suggested the discs were brought over in airline hand luggage.
Reportedly more than 13 million pirated discs are exported from Pakistan each month. Iain Grant, head of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), who backed the raids by Dutch police, called on the Pakistani government to take a legal stand against piracy. "This is an important seizure, highlighting the growing problem of pirate disc exports from Pakistan," said Grant.
Grant added: "Disc production is practically unregulated and this is having a serious effect on Indian repertoire and rights holders.
"Very little is being done in Pakistan to tackle the problem - urgent action is needed from the government to regulate disc manufacture and introduce proper enforcement against this illegal trade."
In the UK, Jayanti Amarishi Buhecha was sentenced to three years in prison in February. The judge called Buhech "one of the biggest Bollywood pirates in the UK." British Phonographic Industry anti-piracy director Dave Martin said consistent work with UK customs had "helped stem the tide of pirate Indian titles" in the UK, but the problem had surfaced elsewhere.
"As a result of sustained action against this trade we believe the pirates are switching to other entry points in Europe," he said.
Story source:
hindustantimes.com.
