NAPLES, Italy — Italy’s anti-piracy organization FPM has completed the first phase of its year-long “Operation Jolly Roger” investigation. Led by local District Attorney Francesco Soviero and officers with Italy’s “Fiscal Police” law enforcement agency, the Naples operation culminated on October 22 with seven arrests.
During the course of the investigation, some 60 raids were conducted and an estimated three million items were seized, including illegal CDs and DVDs. Authorities confiscated 140 disc burners capable of producing up to 10,000 copies each day.
In a statement, the Naples District Attorney office says, “Activity like this has reached alarming proportions. It has effectively replaced cigarette smuggling, while its technological sophistication means that it is considerable interest to organized crime.” The combined market value of the material seized exceeds €2 million ($2.55).