XN000022-1975-06-15 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 1975

APART FROM THIS, COMPLAINTS MADE TO THE UNIT SOMETIMES STEM FROM COPYRIGHT OWNERS WHO ARE NOT BASED IN HONG KONG. IN SUCH CASES, AFFIDAVITS FROM THE LAWFUL COPYRIGHT OWNERS HAVE TO BE OBTAINED FROM OVERSEAS AS COURT EVIDENCE.

DESPITE ALL THESE DIFFICULTIES, THE UNIT HAS CHALKED UP CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN ITS OPERATIONS. IT BROUGHT ABOUT 78 PROSECUTIONS IN 1974. THE TOTAL FINES IMPOSED AMOUNTED TO $300,000.

PIRATED ARTICLES SEIZED SO FAR BY THE UNIT INCLUDE 154,000 MUSIC CASSETTE TAPES, 15,000 RECORDS, 58 BOOKS AND 339 MUSIC CARTRIDGES. IN ADDITION, A LARGE QUANTITY OF EQUIPMENT USED FOR MANUFACTURING PIRATED RECORDS AND TAPES WAS ALSO SEIZED.

THE BIGGEST SEIZURE MADE BY THE UNIT WAS A $120,000 HAUL OF CASSETTE TAPES AND MUSIC-RECORDING EQUIPMENT FROM AN ILLEGAL WORKSHOP AT NORTH POINT LAST FEBRUARY.

THE PIRACY TRADE NOT ONLY DEPRIVES COPYRIGHT OWNERS OF THEIR RIGHTFUL BENEFITS, BUT ALSO TARNISHES THE REPUTATION OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS ABROAD.

UNDER THE COPYRIGHT LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG, A PERSON FOUND GUILTY OF 'SELLING' OR 'MAKING PIRATED ARTICLES' IS LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $50,000 FOR THE FIRST CONVICTION. FOR

THE SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT CONVICTIONS, HE MAY BE SENT TO PRISON FOR A PERIOD UP TO 12 MONTHS IN ADDITION TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $50,000.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH OF A RECENT RAID BY PREVENTIVE SERVICE OFFICERS ON A RECORD SHOP SELLING PIRATED MATERIAL, ARE BOXED FOR COLLECTION.

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