Rick Dean
Registered
http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20040715-104805-7282r.htm
18 grocery stores raided
By S.A. Miller
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Police and federal agents raided 18 ethnic grocery stores yesterday in Northern Virginia and seized thousands of pirated CDs and DVDs, part of what authorities say is a nationwide black-market economy that costs the music industry $1 million a day.
Working on a tip from the District-based Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), more than 50 officers, assisted by agents from the FBI and Secret Service, simultaneously served search warrants at
the shops, most of which cater to Middle Eastern tastes, though some specialized in Hispanic products.
Brad Buckles, RIAA's executive vice president for anti-piracy, said the association has
operatives all over the county looking for bootleg music in stores, and
they regularly help police crack down on the illicit trade.
"It gives you an idea of the magnitude of the problem the industry is facing," he said. "Unfortunately, piracy in the United States is at a rampant level, especially in Latin music and other niche genres."
The search warrant for Mount of Olives in Falls Church, which was identical to the 15 others served by Fairfax County Police, gave police authority to search for and seize any recorded products without the manufacturers' name and address printed on the packaging. The warrant also applied to business records, computer hardware and software, and U.S. currency.
Fadia Shaat, a Palestinian woman who owns the grocery and clothing sto
re Mount of Olives, blamed the police action on anti-Arab prejudice since the September 11 terror attacks.
"I always loved to be in America," said Mrs. Shaat, 47, who runs the shop wit
h her husband and their five children. "A lot of things are changing now."
Her daughter, Dalia Shaat, 24
, said that a vendor imports the DVDs and CDs, delivers them to the store and monitors the music and movie inventory. "If there was a problem with the CDs, we don't have anything to do with it," she said.
Mount of Olives carries music titles by artists such as Egyptian pop star Shireen and Lebanese singer Fares Karam.
Herndon police served three similar search warrants as part of the coordinated operation. Details of the Herndon raids were not available yesterday evening.
Police carried eight large boxes out of Mount of Olives. The boxes contained 1,388 audio cassette tapes, 485 CDs, 277 videotapes and business records, according to the inventory of seiz
ed property police gave to Mrs. Shaat.
"At some places we are getting several thousand [CDs or DVDs]," said Mary Ann Jennings, spokeswoman for Fairfax County police. "There ar
e one or two places where we got less than a hundred."
In Virginia, possessing more than 100 pirated music recordings or 20 movies is a felony punis
hable by one to two years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. The penalty for possessing more than 1,000 music recordings or 65 movies is one to three years in jail and up to a $100,000 fine.
Mrs. Jennings said it was unclear whether the 18 shops were part of a piracy network or if the proceeds from the racket were funneled into other criminal activity.
"When there is illegal money to be gotten, and there are people willing to do it, we have to look at what other crimes people might be involved in," she said. "The investigation is just starting now. Where it leads, we don't know."
Marc Raimondi, a spoke
sman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commended Fairfax County and Herndon police going after pirated music and movies.
"Buying counterfeit items is far from a victimle
ss crime. You are financing a criminal enterprise and money goes into an illegal economy," he said.
18 grocery stores raided
By S.A. Miller
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Police and federal agents raided 18 ethnic grocery stores yesterday in Northern Virginia and seized thousands of pirated CDs and DVDs, part of what authorities say is a nationwide black-market economy that costs the music industry $1 million a day.
Working on a tip from the District-based Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), more than 50 officers, assisted by agents from the FBI and Secret Service, simultaneously served search warrants at
the shops, most of which cater to Middle Eastern tastes, though some specialized in Hispanic products.
Brad Buckles, RIAA's executive vice president for anti-piracy, said the association has
operatives all over the county looking for bootleg music in stores, and
they regularly help police crack down on the illicit trade.
"It gives you an idea of the magnitude of the problem the industry is facing," he said. "Unfortunately, piracy in the United States is at a rampant level, especially in Latin music and other niche genres."
The search warrant for Mount of Olives in Falls Church, which was identical to the 15 others served by Fairfax County Police, gave police authority to search for and seize any recorded products without the manufacturers' name and address printed on the packaging. The warrant also applied to business records, computer hardware and software, and U.S. currency.
Fadia Shaat, a Palestinian woman who owns the grocery and clothing sto
re Mount of Olives, blamed the police action on anti-Arab prejudice since the September 11 terror attacks.
"I always loved to be in America," said Mrs. Shaat, 47, who runs the shop wit
h her husband and their five children. "A lot of things are changing now."
Her daughter, Dalia Shaat, 24
, said that a vendor imports the DVDs and CDs, delivers them to the store and monitors the music and movie inventory. "If there was a problem with the CDs, we don't have anything to do with it," she said.
Mount of Olives carries music titles by artists such as Egyptian pop star Shireen and Lebanese singer Fares Karam.
Herndon police served three similar search warrants as part of the coordinated operation. Details of the Herndon raids were not available yesterday evening.
Police carried eight large boxes out of Mount of Olives. The boxes contained 1,388 audio cassette tapes, 485 CDs, 277 videotapes and business records, according to the inventory of seiz
ed property police gave to Mrs. Shaat.
"At some places we are getting several thousand [CDs or DVDs]," said Mary Ann Jennings, spokeswoman for Fairfax County police. "There ar
e one or two places where we got less than a hundred."
In Virginia, possessing more than 100 pirated music recordings or 20 movies is a felony punis
hable by one to two years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. The penalty for possessing more than 1,000 music recordings or 65 movies is one to three years in jail and up to a $100,000 fine.
Mrs. Jennings said it was unclear whether the 18 shops were part of a piracy network or if the proceeds from the racket were funneled into other criminal activity.
"When there is illegal money to be gotten, and there are people willing to do it, we have to look at what other crimes people might be involved in," she said. "The investigation is just starting now. Where it leads, we don't know."
Marc Raimondi, a spoke
sman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commended Fairfax County and Herndon police going after pirated music and movies.
"Buying counterfeit items is far from a victimle
ss crime. You are financing a criminal enterprise and money goes into an illegal economy," he said.