Raid nets M in pirated DVDs

CEBU CITY—The Optical Media Board’s (OMB) team in Cebu confiscated close to R60 million worth of illegally copied DVDs from several stalls inside a building on Colon St. in downtown Cebu Thursday.

OMB team leader Joseph Arnaldo said they had been getting complaints regarding the rampant selling of pirated disks in the area.

Four OMB agents were hurt after they were punched by vendors who tried to resist the confiscation. One of the agents was taken to hospital with a head injury.

“The vendors’ companions arrived and overwhelmed the team,” Arnaldo said.

Confiscated were 53 boxes of blank DVDs, 13 boxes of DVD casings, 4 tower burners, 19 DVD writers and 420 sacks of pirated disks, with a total estimated cost of R59,239,250.

Arnaldo said the group of vendors had shuttered their stalls prompting the team to force them open.

He said the team had a hard time arresting vendors because the selling space was congested and many people helped the vendors carry away the sacks already filled with confiscated DVDs and CDs.

Arnaldo said his team is finding out if there are other stores selling pirated disks in the city.

Helping the OMB carry out the raid were the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team from Cebu City Police.

The seized disks were taken to the Cebu City Police Office.