MUMBAI: Forty officers from the Crime Suppression Division of Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) together with Motion Picture Association representatives, raided a clandestine optical disc factory in Meenburi, Bangkok.

Led by Commissioner of CIB, General Adisorn Nonsri, the raid was conducted late in the evening surprising the three men at the scene.

Along with the two VCD replicating machines found on the first floor of the two-storey house, the police seized one printing machine and four pirated discs of Thai movie titles. The machines were not in operation at the time and are believed to be in the midst of being moved to another location in Thailand.

The three men, two Thai and one Burmese, were arrested. If convicted, they face a maximum fine of $ 25,000 and four years jail under the Copyright Act. A warrant of arrest has also been issued against the owner of the house and the machines. Along with charges under the Copyright Act, he also faces charges under the Immigration Law for hiring an illegal immigrant and under the Optical Disc Act for running an unlicensed optical disc factory.

General Nonsri said, “This criminal activity has to be stopped. It is destroying the Thai film industry, the Thai economy and the reputation of the country. My officers will continue to take aggressive action against these pirates.”