Terror groups move into pirated DVDs as profits overtake drugs

July 13, 2004

According to an article on the UK website the Guardian are terror groups moving to DVD piracy
instead of selling drugs. Reason for this, is according to a report that has
been published yesterday, that DVD piracy is more profitable and has lower risks
then drug sales and trafficing. To make people aware of this the DVD industry
will launch a campaign. According to the article no longer only organised crime
is making money with pirated movies, but also terror groups have found out that
it's profitable and less risky.

Ronald
Noble, secretary general of Interpol, said: "The link between organised
crime groups and counterfeit goods is well established, but Interpol is
sounding the alarm that intellectual property crime is becoming the
preferred method of funding for a number of terrorist groups."

He said there was enough evidence of
terrorist groups using bootleg DVD sales to fund their activities for it
to constitute a threat to public safety.

The campaign will also point out
the human cost of the bootleg trade. An industry spokesman said illegal
immigrants from mainland China were being forced by triad and snakehead
gangs to sell pirate DVDs to pay for their passage to the UK.

What
do you think? Are they using the 'terrorism' word to scare people and hope they
will no longer buy pirated movies, or you think this is true? Read the entire
article here and also feel free to discuss this in our Legal Issues
Forum.

Source: Guardian