MUMBAI: The recently formed Bollywood-Hollywood coalition against piracy has been flexing its muscles by the week.
Following up its raids not only in the interiors of Maharashtra but also in Gujarat last week, the police, along with United Copyright Protection Association (UPCA) and AA Khan & Associates, conducted raids in Wada, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The joint operation seized 25,000 pirated discs of recent releases like Raajneeti, Prince of Persia and Kites among others, and 22 DVD writers worth Rs 260,000.
While the Mumbai police conducted multiple raids across Mumbai and seized close to 6000 pirated discs, AA Khan & Associates conducted a joint raid with a PSI Kolekar from Wada Police Station of pirated on film discs manufacturing plant outside Mumbai.
This raid led to a seizure of a total of 12,956 pirated DVDs of recently released Hindi and English films worth Rs 140,000. The team also seized 22 DVD writers and two processors. The team recovered 3,000 pirated DVDs of the recently- released Rajneeti.
Under the jurisdiction of B Ward BMC, UPCA conducted a raid at the junction of Yusuf Meherali road and Abdul Rehman Street, Majid Bunder, Mumbai. The team along with BMC Officers seized a total of 1500 pirated discs of films. Another raid that was conducted at Malwani Market in Malad (west) along with Malwani Police Station on a stall vendor selling pirated discs, 2,984 pirated discs were seized. Three people were arrested in the raid estimated to be worth Rs 409,600.
At a raid conducted near Hotel Sarovar outside Kandivili (west), nearly1,400 discs was seized from the stalls estimated to be worth Rs 200,000.
In Ahmedabad, the UPCA conducted a joint raid with a team from Sirkach Police Station, Ahmedabad on a godown of pirated movie discs where it seized a total of 5,265 pirated DVDs of Hindi and English films worth Rs 263,550.
AA Khan commented, "Piracy is a serious offence and one which is rampant within major parts of the city. We along with Mumbai Police are dedicated to the cause of arresting the increase of such activities. However, the job of the police is nullified since the common man goes and purchases movies from such pirates. People need to remember that besides denying the creators of the content their fair share, the proceeds from such sales fund several illegal activities including terrorism in India and abroad."
