In what is perhaps the biggest such seizure in the country, pirated DVDs and equipment worth Rs. 10 crore were confiscated on Sunday.
Nearly 26 lakh DVDs including those of the movie Alex Pandian and the audio track of Vishwaroopam ,as well as nearly 3,000 adult films, were seized during the raids at Royapettah and Ritchie Street on Friday. Five persons were arrested.
A special team raided a printing firm on Mohammed Hussain Street in Royapettah, seized 1,55,000 pirated DVDs along with wrapper sheets and apprehended three persons — R. Balaji (22), G. Suresh (37) and V. Karna (24) — who were printing the sheets. The team also seized printing machines, lamination sheets and cutting machines worth about Rs. 50 lakh.
The team then raided a shop on Wallers Road, Ritchie Street, and its godowns on Ritchie Street and Singanna Chetty Street in Chintadripet. Over 25 lakh pirated DVDs, five CPUs and other accessories were seized. Two persons, Samsudeen (42) and Liyakath Ali (19), were arrested.
ADGP, Crime, Pradeep. V. Philip said “ We were unable to count the number of DVDs and had to weigh them and then arrive at a figure. The CDs were meant for distribution in Puducherry, Karnataka and Kerala. The main accused in the case are absconding. The DVDs were brought from Delhi and the wrapper sheets printed in Royapettah.”
The owner of the shop on Ritchie Street — Khaja Mohideen — is in prison in another case.
