Egyptian, English Raids Uncover Pirate Operations

The IFPI has applauded the efforts of Egyptian authorities for a recent raid in which nearly 2 million allegedly counterfeit music cassettes were seized. The cache, uncovered by police from the Giza Security Department, represents the largest-ever suspected pirate music haul in the Middle East.

IFPI cooperated in the bust, along with members of the Egyptian Central Assn. of Audio Producers (ECAAP) and Egyptian authorities. It followed a month-long surveillance of the Giza-based operation. Police arrested one man and seized duplication equipment and a stockpile of artwork. IFPI says the raid dismantled "a major network of pirates."

According to the IFPI, Egypt has one of the highest rates of music piracy in the region at about 50%; the territory remains on the U.S. government's "Priority Watch List." Music cassettes remain the most popular format in Egypt, accounting for about 93% of the market.

In other music piracy news:

The anti-piracy unit of the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) was involved in a series of raids last week in the U.K. as part of its ongoing crackdown on Internet-related music counterfeiting.

The unit assisted Bury (England) Trading Standards and police in a July 3 raid on a Bury residence, confiscating duplication equipment and a library containing more than 10,000 master discs. A man in his 40s could face possible charges as a result. Investigators from the MCPS uncovered the operation, which they believe was offering counterfeit music CDs for sale via mail order and an Internet-based subscription service.

A man was arrested the previous day following a separate raid on a property at the Aldershot military camp in Hampshire, England, at which an illegal CD copying business was being run. Hampshire Trading Standards and Ministry of Defense police were involved in the bust.