Ten arrested with pirated recordings

JAKARTA (JP): Police have arrested nine men for selling pirated and pornographic video compact discs, and another man for illegally reproducing cassettes and compact discs, police said over the weekend.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said, "The first nine are accused of deliberately showing, providing and keeping pornographic items, and selling pirated recordings."

If found guilty, the men could face a maximum one year and six months in jail, or a Rp 300 fine, said Aritonang. He did not name the nine men.

He said they either owned or were responsible for running nine cassette and audio shops which were raided Thursday.

Aritonang identified the tenth man as Agus Darsono, 48, an entrepreneur who allegedly illegally reproduced cassettes and compact discs at his home studio in Setiabudi, Central Jakarta.

"Agus could face a maximum seven years in jail or Rp 100 million fine, if he was found guilty of illegally reproducing the recordings," he said.

He said police confiscated over 3,500 pirated VCDs, CDs and cassettes from the ten suspects.

At least 3,000 pirated VCDs, some containing pornographic scenes, were seized from the nine stores which were in Blok M Plaza in South Jakarta, Mangga Dua shopping center, Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta, and Rawamangun in East Jakarta.

Police also seized hundreds of cassettes and CDs which were packed in 384 boxes and 243 boxes of ready-to-sell cassettes and CDs respectively. Some master CDs and recording machines were also confiscated as evidence. (cst)