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As a result of these enforcement actions, 630 persons were arrested, of whom 206 (33 per cent) were children aged 17 or under.
All these young offenders were arrested for selling pirated music CDs. They constituted 54 per cent of all arrests (383) made this year with respect to music CD piracy.
For the purpose of deterring copyright offences, the Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 1995 was enacted on May 26, 1995, whereby the maximum penalties for copyright infringement crimes have been substantially increased.
Under the Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 1995, the new maximum penalty for conviction on indictment for possession of pirated articles for the purposes of trade and business is a fine of $25,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for two years for first-time offenders, and a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years for repeated offenders.
Parents and children are reminded that copyright piracy is a serious crime which attracts heavy penalties.
Teenage students are strongly advised to make good use of their leisure time during the summer vacation and to keep away from illicit pirated music CDs, CD- Roms and video CDs and indeed, any other crimes.
Representatives of the music industry have been invited to participate in the destruction of the forfeited CDs.
Members of the media are welcome to cover the ceremony which will be held at the Customs and Excise Service Senior Officers' Mess, ninth floor, Rumsey Street Multi-Storey Carpark Building, 2 Rumsey Street, Central, Hong Kong.
End/Wednesday, July 12, 1995
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