Big Music praises Hong Kong
p2pnet.net News:- Good news for Hong Kong: Big Music “applauds” it.
“The international recording industry has hailed as ‘exemplary’ jail sentences of six and a half years handed down to two former directors of a Hong Kong-based company found guilty of involvement in a massive disc piracy operation,” says the IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industries).
The header was, IFPI Applauds Hong Kong After Company Directors Are Jailed For Six And A Half Years For Massive CD Piracy Operation.
Owned and operate by the Big Four record labels, in equally grandiose manner, the IFPI recently praised enforcement efforts by industry “anti-piracy teams” and “some government enforcement agencies” for having a significant impact on crime involving counterfeit and duped CDs.
“The [Hong Kong] sentences came after a six year international investigation bringing together enforcement agencies in Hong Kong, China and Canada and assisted by anti-piracy teams from the international recording industry,” says the IFPI, re-emphasising the way in which it’s able to use international police forces as unpaid record industry enforcers.
“Tsoi Chung-wang (also known as Tsoi Kei-lung and Tsoi Tung-kei), and his wife, Ng Yee-nei (also known as Ng Kam-fung and Ng Yuk-yan Lili), both former directors of the Hong Kong based company Golden Science Technology Limited, were charged by Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) for counterfeiting HK$300 million worth of copyrighted optical discs,” says the IFPI
“The pair were found guilty yesterday by the Court of First Instance in Hong Kong of one count of conspiracy to defraud. The charge stated that Tsoi and Ng had conspired with other persons to defraud copyright owners in relation to the illegal copying, manufacture and distribution of sound recordings, films, games, and computer software between June 1997 and April 1998.
“The discs were believed to be destined for the People’s Republic of China.”
[NOTE to the IFPI: the discs were already there. Hong Kong is one of the People's Republic of China's two Special Administrative Regions.]
Tsoi and Ng were arrested by the ICAC in April 1998 and “with the assistance of the Interpol NCB (National Central Bureau) China, Lanzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the Hong Kong Police’s Liaison Bureau, Tsoi returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland on October 14 last year,” says the IFPI, adding:
“Ng was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver on October 30 last year on ICAC’s behalf. She waived extradition proceedings and returned to Hong Kong to face trial on November 19 last year.
“The prosecution is currently seeking forfeiture of the seized 41 replication lines, 12 printing machines, mastering machinery, 37 hundred weight of polycarbonate and 17.94 million pirate compact discs and 3,600 pirate stampers – moulds used to make the recordings.”
July 24th, 2004 at 12:57 am
With an operation that enormous they should have been able to buy off nearly as many politicians as the RIAA does.