DVDs worth Rs 81 lakh seized, 29 held

This month, DVDs worth more than Rs 81 lakh were seized and 29 people arrested across the city by the social service branch of the Mumbai crime branch.

This month, DVDs worth more than Rs 81 lakh were seized and 29 people arrested across the city by the social service branch of the Mumbai crime branch.

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The social service branch and Alliance Against Copyright Theft, a coalition between Hollywood and Bollywood studios had conducted raid in the first week on November at Ulhasnagar, Dahisar (east), Dadar station (west), Goregaon station (west) and seized 18,000 DVDs. Nine people were arrested. The police also seized 3,700 inlay cards with 12 DVD writers.

On November 9, raids were conducted at Oshiwara, Bandra and Fort, 6,000 DVDs were seized and five men arrested.

On November 11, manufacturing units at Kandivli and Nagpada were raided. At the same time, roadside stalls at Vakola, Worli Naka, Flora Fountain, Goregaon station were also raided and a total of 52,000 pirated DVDs were seized. Twenty people were arrested.

On November 13, the police conducted a raid at a godown on VP Road in Bhayander and seized 31,000 pirated DVDs.

“Many pirated DVD manufacturers have been compelled to shut down their business completely. These raids were a result of the calls that are received on the toll free number,” said assistant police inspector J Solunkhe, from the social service branch.