London Police Launch Anti Film Piracy Unit

Folks who illegally copy and/or distribute movies in London had better start reconsidering their lives’ direction.

A police unit has been formed in England’s capital to focus on decreasing film piracy in the area as well as locating—and punishing—the people behind it, BBC News reports.

The unit will work in tandem with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), a United Kingdom-based intellectual property protections group, to pursue people and organizations involved in film piracy, according to BBC News.

“This will clearly send a message that this type of crime will not pay,” Nigel Mawer, detective chief superintendent, told BBC News.

The Metropolitan Police unit hopes that by targeting movie piracy, other local criminal elements involved in intellectual property violations will be deterred for fear of a crackdown, according to BBC News.

Ray Leinster, FACT’s director general told BBC News the formation of the police unit is a “unique development.”  

“This will assist FACT’s capacity to address and confront the threats from organized networks which are making significant profits from film piracy,” Leinster told BBC News.

For related CSO coverage, read A Piracy Supply Chain.

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