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Six games pirates arrested in the biggest ever seizure of counterfeit discs in the Merseyside area of Sefton.

A massive £800,000 of fake computer games, including recent games releases like: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, FIFA 2005 and Need for Speed: Underground 2, formed the majority of a one million pound seizure confiscated by authorities in one haul - deemed Sefton's largest ever seizure of counterfeit goods.

ELSPA (The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association), working in concert with Sefton M.B.C Trading Standards, Merseyside Police and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) swooped on the Aintree computer fair, resulting in six arrests.

Two individuals were also discovered allegedly 'chipping' consoles - an illegal practise since October 2003 that allows the public to play copied games on their games consoles.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA said: "ELSPA would like to thank Sefton Trading Standards and Merseyside Police for their sterling efforts in this operation. Computer and video games piracy causes a massive financial loss to the industry, so it is rewarding to see such a large amount of illegal product removed from the marketplace."

Seriously

Andrew Naisbitt, manager of Sefton Trading Standards commented: "This is the biggest ever haul of fake goods in the borough. Sefton takes piracy very seriously and will not hesitate to take court action against those responsible. Not only are consumers short-changed when they buy poor quality fake goods but legitimate retailers also lose business".

The organisations that make up ELSPA have pointed out that software piracy has a series of negative impacts on consumers and British business:

Over £2 billion is lost every year by UK industry to games software counterfeiters.

Consumers have no recourse under law for faulty games acquired from counterfeiters. Cheap pirated software can result in damage to your hardware.

Local and national jobs are lost as result of pirate operations.

Piracy/counterfeiting is illegal and punishable by fines and jail sentences.

Counterfeited/pirated games are often found mixed with obscene or pornographic material.

Proven links exist between many organised counterfeiting organisations and dealers in the illegal drugs trade and even terrorism.

The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) represents the interests of the UK games publishers. It has a dedicated anti piracy unit with investigators based across the UK and often works closely with the Police and Trading Standards to combat computer games piracy.

The organisation was founded in 1989 to establish a specific and collective identity for the computer and video games industry. Membership includes almost all companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure software in the UK.

Anyone with any information on computer games piracy should contact the police, their local Trading Standards Office or call the ELSPA anti piracy unit hotline on: 08705 133405.

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