Eight gangsters involved in pirate CD trafficking and other offences have been arrested by Polish border police, the IFPI said today.
During the bust, the border police from the Klodzko region seized 10s of thousands of CDs and DVDS, illegal firearms, contraband cigarettes and tobacco, plus €50,000 ($72,000) in cash.
The pirate CDs are understood to have been manufactured in Russia, the Ukraine, and by the gang itself, and were destined for the German market.
“These raids clearly show that music and film piracy in Poland is tightly controlled by organised criminal gangs with an international reach,” comments Len Hynds, head of enforcement at the IFPI, in a statement.
Hynds adds, “It is to be hoped that when the case comes to court the authorities issue deterrent sentences to help tackle this ongoing problem.”
Four of the eight suspects arrested were remanded in custody for three months, while the other four were released. The investigation continues, according to the IFPI.
