Music pirates bite the dust

A JOINT operation between the Police, the Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music (Nascam) and other agencies has led to the confiscation of nearly N$3 million worth of pirated goods in Windhoek in a single day.

Two weeks ago, on August 14, Nascam and the Police confiscated around N$2,8 million worth of CDs and DVDs from a number of shops at the Chinatown complex in the Northern Industrial Area, the Katutura Shoprite and Pick ‘n Pay complexes, the Central Business District and in Otjomuise. Nascam’s Licensing Department head John Max said nine people were arrested after failing to hide their illegal stock from authorities.”We as Nascam first did inspections at all these premises.We wrote down the shop numbers and such and on the 14th we came back with the Police,” he told The Namibian yesterday.Most of the pirated goods were DVD copies of the latest movie releases, Max said, while a number of music CD were also seized.”They were really trying to hide it from us.We even found stuff under beds,” he said.The focus of Nascam’s attention now shifts to jukeboxes around the country, many of which play pirated discs of local artists to entertain patrons.”Especially around this time, towards the end of the year, our local artists are releasing their albums.So we’d like to clear the air before they do,” Max said.The current campaign is set to last until the end of the year.Agencies involved in the operation are Nascam, NamPol, the Ministry of Finance’s Customs and Excise Division, the Oruuano of Namibia Artists’ Union and the Southern African Federation against Copyright Theft (Safact).Nascam’s Licensing Department head John Max said nine people were arrested after failing to hide their illegal stock from authorities.”We as Nascam first did inspections at all these premises.We wrote down the shop numbers and such and on the 14th we came back with the Police,” he told The Namibian yesterday.Most of the pirated goods were DVD copies of the latest movie releases, Max said, while a number of music CD were also seized.”They were really trying to hide it from us.We even found stuff under beds,” he said.The focus of Nascam’s attention now shifts to jukeboxes around the country, many of which play pirated discs of local artists to entertain patrons.”Especially around this time, towards the end of the year, our local artists are releasing their albums.So we’d like to clear the air before they do,” Max said.The current campaign is set to last until the end of the year.Agencies involved in the operation are Nascam, NamPol, the Ministry of Finance’s Customs and Excise Division, the Oruuano of Namibia Artists’ Union and the Southern African Federation against Copyright Theft (Safact).