Illegal DVDs seized

9:07am Wednesday 26th September 2007

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TWO men and three woman pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit and pornographic DVDs and were sentenced at Harrow Magistrates' Court.

Plain clothes and uniformed police working together with trading standards offers and the Federation Against Copyright Theft arrested the five on Monday, September 17, seizing 1,700 DVDs.

Xiao Ming Wei, 32, Jian Tai Wang, 37, and Zheng Mei, 33, were given four-week prison sentences and ASBOs while Mei Lin Li, 29, received a two-week prison sentence and an ASBO. Qin Ying He, 40, was given an 18 month conditional discharge.

Bill Bilon, of Harrow Trading Standards, said: "Our officers are out and about on the streets every day but it is a huge problem and they do not have the resources to deal with it. As soon as we seize some DVDs there are more coming back onto the streets. It is a never ending saga."

Counterfeit DVDs used to be imported from foreign countries but are increasingly being produced in Britain making the trade harder to crack down on.

Anyone with information on the distribution of counterfeit DVDs can call Harrow Trading Standards on 0208 937 5555 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.