Police swoop on software pirates nets #12.4m haul
Forty-three arrests made during raid on UK piracy centre Barras market in Glasgow.
The UK's software piracy centre was subject to a massive police raidet in Glasgow. last week, leading to the recovery of #12.4 million worth of fake software.
More than 50 trading standards and benefit agency officers joined the raid on the Barras market in Glasgow led by 119 Strathclyde police officers.
The joint operation recovered a total of #14 million worth of suspected stolen and counterfeit goods, the majority being software. Forty-three arrests were made.
The raid was Scotland's largest and is part of an operation which has so far netted #44 million worth of suspect goods over two years. Inspector Pat Ferguson, who led the raid, said the market was the focus for pirated software from which the rest of the UK was supplied: 'These illegal traders can make #20,000 in a weekend and millions of pounds just in months.'
He added that the type of criminal involved in counterfeit software was often one diversifying from the drugs trade. 'It's a very profitable business.
It costs about #5 to make an ecstasy tablet, then its about #20 to sell.
With software, they get a disk for about 50p, copy the stuff, and sell it for #20 - that's a significant profit,' Ferguson said.
Superintendent Kenny Scott added: 'There is a continual flouting of the law in the Barras because the rewards are so great. There will be a follow-up operation.'
According to the British Software Alliance, more than 40 per cent of all software in use is illegally copied and last year the cost to the software industry was $11.2 billion worldwide.
Geoff Webster, chief executive of the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST), claimed the cost to UK business is approximately $400 million a year.
'We've managed to put a few people away but its a huge problem. It's easy to set up as a software pirate - the margins are larger than the drugs trade and the penalties not as severe. These guys are careful and the products are of a high quality, which just adds to the problem.'