14th September 2010

Tel Aviv – Israel’s national intellectual property police squad has smashed a suspected counterfeit CD operation in a joint operation with IFPI Israel, which represents the recorded music industry in the country.

Officers raided several locations in and around Tel Aviv, uncovering a clandestine CD manufacturing plant in one suspect’s home. Police seized 46 burners stored in five burning towers and thousands of CDs, some containing infringing material and others that had yet to be burned.

Investigators also discovered order lists from pirate vendors across Israel specifying details of the titles and quantity of counterfeit CDs requested. IFPI Israel will now investigate the traders that had placed orders with the gang.
The suspects arrested in the raids face criminal proceedings against them as well as a civil law suit for damages sustained by the recorded music industry.

Moti Amitay, head of enforcement at IFPI Israel, says: “The music industry will not stand by while criminal gangs infringe their rights to create their own businesses. The police also recognize it is unacceptable for people to illegally siphon the revenues that should be going to the artists, songwriters and producers that create music into their own pockets.
“If there is to be sustainable future investment in Israeli artists then we must act against pirate CD manufacturers and vendors. The people who have placed orders with this gang should know that we will be coming after them in the coming weeks.”