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$2 billion software piracy ring broken up in China

24 July 2007 16:09 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 11 comments

The FBI and China's Public Security Bureau have led an investigation that has led to the discovery and disbandment of a $2 billion global software piracy ring in southern China. The syndicate is considered one of the largest in the world.

Microsoft, for its part, assisted in providing the FBI with information that led to arrests and confiscations of pirated software.

Software counterfeited by the ring was found on five continents and 26 individual countries. 13 separate products were produced by the syndicate, the most notable being Windows Vista Premium and Office 2007, both from Microsoft.

So far, authorities have traced 55,000 copies back to the ring but investigators believe the total output of the group is about 5 million discs.

"This case should serve as a wake-up call to counterfeiters," Microsoft general counsel Brad Smith said. "Customers around the world are turning you in, governments and law enforcement have had enough, and private companies will act decisively to protect intellectual property."

Microsoft went as far as to say that countries around the world should see a "significant decrease" in the amount of available pirated software thanks to the latest busts.

Of the 55,000 discs traced, 1000 came from customers who had been duped and thousands of others came from resellers.

The probe was part of a much larger investigation that has been going on since 2005.

According to the BSA and IDC, global piracy costs the industry 35 billion dollars per year.

Source:
BetaNews

Permalink to this article

China asks for international help in controlling online piracy (17 January 2008)

Paramount will sell $3 DVDs to combat Chinese pirates (7 November 2007)

US moves forward with WTO demands against Chinese pirates (13 August 2007)

Microsoft applauds piracy conviction (9 August 2007)

2 California men sentenced in major piracy operation (8 August 2007)

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Discuss this article!
limelight (Member) 24 July 2007 17:19
It seems that Vista is not the secure copy protected all-in-one suite Microsoft thought it was. [ + quote]
SamNz (Newbie) 24 July 2007 21:52
M$ 1 pirates still like 100000000 lol [ + quote]
Toppo (Newbie) 24 July 2007 22:15
If those chinease pirates made money with those copies, then I hope they burn in hell... if not... well whatever :P [ + quote]
theridges (AfterDawn Addict) 25 July 2007 23:58
*Originally posted by Toppo:* If those chinease pirates made money with those copies, then I hope they burn in hell... if not... well whatever :P yea im sure they were making no money but just kept doing it anyways... that was a great post. [ + quote]
kingy1213 (Member) 26 July 2007 2:48
sux 2 b them!!! lol [ + quote]
blackvamp (Senior Member) 26 July 2007 13:02
Do I hear gun shots ringing in the Chinese execution chamber? [ + quote]
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 26 July 2007 15:50
Although the numbers are big and it is a good win for the authorities and Microsoft, this is not stopping piracy due to the fact the copies they confiscated are probably already uploaded on the net for download so therefore the authorities have lost their battle cause the copies that have been taken are being spread regardless. [ + quote]
Darius502 (Junior Member) 27 July 2007 20:13
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Halleluuuujaaaaaah!!!!!!!! [ + quote]
qazwiz (Junior Member) 28 July 2007 14:15
5 million? worth 2 Billion? that is $400 a copy typical over statement of worth and a liar should not be allowed to use any country's court system even if they have a case without the lies.... [size=5]why should the courts grind to a standstill while sifting the lies from the truth?[/size] [ + quote]
janolsson (Newbie) 28 July 2007 23:23
Yeah, Friends, it's the same old routine: MicroBill charges the blood out of Our veins. We get fed up, because MB is making too much money from his product, so we go for pirated warez. Lots of us around, and we don't charge for cracked copies when we swap them between ourselves. But some criminals sells the warez for profits, so they must expect to be persecuted. Justice is a very subtle business: Criminals chasing criminals in the name of "Justice".Bvadr! [ + quote]
qazwiz (Junior Member) 30 July 2007 7:41
don't get me wrong, I believe the workman should be paid for his work... but 400 dollars is eight months of entertainment budget for me and ROFLMFAO at the outragoeus prices just doesn't qualify (LOL) :P [ + quote]