MUMBAI: Police and investigators from the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) seized 35,000 pirated DVDs in simultaneous raids across Sydney’s south-west.

Twenty two police officers from the Campsie, St George and Fairfield local area commands, supported by seven investigators from the AFACT, conducted simultaneous raids on three retail shops and two residential premises smashing two movie piracy operations supplying, selling and renting pirated movies across a range of suburbs in south west Sydney.

Police raided two video stores in Campsie and Fairfield where pirated movies were allegedly being sold for $10 each. Police also served a warrant on a residential premise in St John’s Park, discovering a DVD burning operation alleged to be supplying pirated DVDs to the two shops.

Police seized over 20,000 DVDs, two computers, 22 DVD-R burners and two printers from the two shops and a house. The seized DVDs included infringing copies of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and The Hangover, which are all currently showing in cinemas across Australia.

In a separate investigation, Police raided a second video store in Campsie and a residential premise in Bexley where another illegal DVD burning operation was found. Total seizures from the shop and residential premises were 15,000 pirated movie DVDs, two computers, 12 DVD-R burners and two printers.

The seized DVDs included infringing copies of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Angles and Demons.

"The three local area commands effectively combined with the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft in synchronized raids, effectively dismantling a major player in the illegal DVD retail sector," said Inspector Matt Hanlon.

Maximum penalties for copyright crimes are up to $60,500 and/or five years jail.