Illegal CD Replicating Factory Raided In Malaysia

LOMDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ IFPI) - In April, the Royal Malaysian Police raided commercial premises in the Industrial Zone in Seri Kembangan, Selangor following intelligence about illegal CD production.

On entering the secured premises, police discovered a CD replication line producing copies of a recent Warner Music release, Tak Hilang Cinta by veteran local artist Jamal Abdillah.

During the search, four men were arrested and a total of 17,900 pressed discs were seized, including 1,200 copies of Tak Hilang Cinta. The CD replication line and a printing machine were also seized by the police and removed from the premises.

Soon after, two of the arrested men appeared in court charged with offences under the Copyright Act 1987 and the Optical Discs Act 2000, while the other two, who were foreign nationals in the country illegally, were handed over to the immigration authorities. Further charges are likely after the conclusion of forensic tests on the seized discs and the police investigation into the ownership of the plant.

Abdul Rahman Ghazali, Director of Operations for the Recording Industry of Malaysia (RIM) said: 'The Royal Malaysian Police have been doing a very good job by launching a number of proactive raids on music and video pirates recently, and we expect that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs officers will do the same following the appointment of the new Minister.'