Phony VCDs, CDs, CD-Roms seized

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police detectives seized some 1 million counterfeit video compact discs (VCDs) and CDs in a raid on two houses on Jl. Dwiwarna in Kartini subdistrict, Sawah Besar, on Wednesday morning.

Central Jakarta Police detectives chief Capt. Hendra Suhartiyono told reporters that his men arrested the owner of the houses -- identified only as Arisman, 40 -- and eight of his staff.

"When we raided the three-story house which they had transformed into a factory, they were working away as usual," he said.

According to Hendra, the houses had been always used by the suspects to produce the counterfeit VCDs, which included pornographic movies, CD-ROMs and PlayStation CDs.

"Based on preliminary questioning, we found out that they began operations three years ago," he said.

The police also confiscated six computers and some original VCDs which they used for duplication, the official added.

None of the suspects were willing to explain the distribution of their bogus products but police suspect that they sold them to traders at several well-known electronic shopping centers, such as those in the Mangga Dua area, West Jakarta.

The suspects said they spent at least 20 minutes producing one counterfeited VCD using a computer.

A phony pornographic VCD, for example, was offered to traders at Rp 7,000 and a CD-Rom at Rp 12,000.

Vendors at Gajah Mada Plaza and in the Glodok shopping area in West Jakarta usually sell the counterfeited products at Rp 15,000 and Rp 20,000 each, respectively.

Police found that the ground floor of the house factory was used to store blank disks, the second floor for half-finished products and the upper story for producing.

Hendra pledged to further investigate the case and the networks of the suspects' illegal business, which has caused losses worth billions of rupiah to the state. (06)