24/7 Tass 122a
MOSCOW, July 24 (Itar-Tass) —— Staff of Russia’s Interior Ministry’s K Department have repressed a criminal group, involved in production and distribution of pirate copies of films and music. They confiscated over one million discs, the department’s press service told Itar-Tass.
Investigators found out that five officially unemployed residents of Moscow and the Moscow Region aged between 18 and 50 organised the group. They had certain roles in the group and used strict measures of conspiracy.
The group’s organiser, a Muscovite of 38, used an officially registered firm as an umbrella. The firm’s registered activity was to trade licensed audio and visual products and computer software.
“The criminals crushed copy protection of the discs and produced thousands copies of films and software,” the press service reported. “The assortment of their products varied from audio and video to expensive software used in computer graphics, architecture and video editing.”
Investigators suspect that discs were legal products of plants in Russia’s many regions, and the criminals’ clients were throughout the country.
The criminals advertised their products on the Internet and used it for taking orders and communication with clients.
The ‘staff’ of the group rented two warehouses – one of them was the basic one, and the other was organised to cover their tracks.
Drivers, who served the warehouses, did not know each other, and every staff member changed their personal cell phone numbers every week.
Clients paid for the orders with electronic money only. The criminal group’s leader managed to earn dozens of million roubles, the press service said.
“During the searches, staff of the K Department conducted at both warehouses, they found over one million of counterfeit discs, about 50 plastic cards, and paperwork which proved the illegal activities,” the source said.