N$2,2m in pirated software seized

CUSTOMS officials have confiscated a shipment of 22 500 pirated DVDs and video games at Eros airport in Windhoek. The total value of the items seized on October 12 is estimated to be around N$2,2 million.

Police believe the boxes were on their way to Johannesburg. South African Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT) Operations Manager Opie Potter said yesterday the bust could be credited to recent training done with customs officials and Police officers at Walvis Bay and in Windhoek, where they were taught how to identify pirate software.”We do training sessions quite regularly,” he said, “but the way in which these things are manufactured is state of the art, and the more we train, the better they get.”He said it was obvious that the shipment seized at Eros was part of a larger “round-tripping” operation involving southern Africa, and even Australia.No suspects have been arrested yet.Potter said the operation was being carried out strategically.The shipment was traced back to Kuala Lumpur, from where it went to Johannesburg, and then finally to Windhoek.”Because of very large quantities confiscated at the Johannesburg airport in recent times,” he said “smugglers have decided that they’re getting too hard a knock.That’s why they’re now using the neighbouring countries.””Your Government needs to put their finger on this, or you’re going to have a huge problem later,” he said, adding that South Africa hadn’t been aware of the threat of piracy until it was too late.He warned Namibian consumers not to support traders of pirated software as the product was usually of low quality and of no economical value to the country.”What I can tell you is that the money doesn’t stay in your country,” he said.He says while the cost of producing one such pirated DVD is N$7, it was being sold at N$100.”They’re making a profit of 900 per cent.”he said.* The Police have also reported the discovery of a human skeleton at the farm Goab outside Windhoek.The body was discovered at 14h00 on Saturday.No further details were available yesterday.South African Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT) Operations Manager Opie Potter said yesterday the bust could be credited to recent training done with customs officials and Police officers at Walvis Bay and in Windhoek, where they were taught how to identify pirate software.”We do training sessions quite regularly,” he said, “but the way in which these things are manufactured is state of the art, and the more we train, the better they get.”He said it was obvious that the shipment seized at Eros was part of a larger “round-tripping” operation involving southern Africa, and even Australia.No suspects have been arrested yet.Potter said the operation was being carried out strategically. The shipment was traced back to Kuala Lumpur, from where it went to Johannesburg, and then finally to Windhoek.”Because of very large quantities confiscated at the Johannesburg airport in recent times,” he said “smugglers have decided that they’re getting too hard a knock.That’s why they’re now using the neighbouring countries.””Your Government needs to put their finger on this, or you’re going to have a huge problem later,” he said, adding that South Africa hadn’t been aware of the threat of piracy until it was too late.He warned Namibian consumers not to support traders of pirated software as the product was usually of low quality and of no economical value to the country.”What I can tell you is that the money doesn’t stay in your country,” he said.He says while the cost of producing one such pirated DVD is N$7, it was being sold at N$100.”They’re making a profit of 900 per cent.”he said.* The Police have also reported the discovery of a human skeleton at the farm Goab outside Windhoek.The body was discovered at 14h00 on Saturday.No further details were available yesterday.