The Australian Federal Police says it has executed 21 warrants across Australia as it steps up a campaign against organised selling and distribution of counterfeit and pirated goods, including computers and software.
AFP agents early on Tuesday entered businesses premises, residences and vehicles in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, seizing counterfeit software, pirated CDs and DVDs, computers and counterfeit luxury items such as bags and jewellery, according to an AFP statement.
It said the warrants followed information supplied by industry stakeholders including the Trade Mark Investigations Service, Music Industry Piracy Investigations, Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft and the Union of European Football Associations.
Police expect to lay a number of charges, though none have yet been revealed.
Australian legislation provides for a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment for copyright offences and two years for trademark offences, said Supt Stephan Obers, AFP’s acting manager of crime operations.
