Crackdown: Richmond, BC Man Goes Down for Videogame Piracy

A Richmond, British Columbia man has been arrested for selling pirated video games at a local mall. Mounties said that they seized a number of pirated video games and electronic equipment at Penguin Village Hobbies and Entertainment in Richmond's Parker Place Mall on September 1.

The investigation was launched in April after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were tipped off about the piracy operation from private investigation firm IPSA International - a U.S.-based firm that works on behalf of the entertainment software industry. Jasper Smith, director of investigations at IPSA's Vancouver office, said the man was in their sights.

"We were keeping tabs on him," Smith said Tuesday. "And then we found out he was active again. He was selling pirated video games. We believe he was burning them."

Smith said that the suspect was selling games in the store for about $10 each. He also claims that the Lower Mainland market for pirated video games is worth millions of dollars.

Richmond RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Sherrdean Turley cautioned consumers to beware of fake goods being sold by people like the unnamed Richmond man.

"This is an example where consumers are purchasing goods that they believe are legitimate. It turns out they are in fact pirated copies of video games," said Turley. "They want to buy the 'full-meal deal', but that's not what they're getting."

The RCMP has recommended a charge of selling material that infringes copyright. The man is scheduled to make his first court appearance December 2. 

Source: www.theprovince.com