More than 100,000 pirated media are seized in Campos do Goytacazes

With the support of ABES, the action took place at the city's camelódromo

Last Thursday morning (13), agents from the Police Station for the Repression of Crimes against Immaterial Property – DRCPIM, with logistical support from the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES), carried out a vast operation to combat the trade in pirated products at the Camelódromo de Campos do Goytacazes, in Rio de Janeiro. As a result, nine people were arrested for the crime of software piracy and Police Chief Ricardo Codeceira's team seized more than 100,000 media containing pirated computer programs and games, in addition to other products.
 

The action was the result of investigations and had the support of ABES, which carries out intense work, together with police authorities in all regions of Brazil, to repress the sale of pirated software.
 

Piracy numbers in Brazil
 

“Due to the heating up of trade at the end of the year, police authorities are intensifying operations in large shopping centers. Last year alone, the software industry lost R$ 5 billion due to piracy. Of this total, around 30% would go to the Government in the form of taxes”, explains Rodrigo Paiva, coordinator of ABES' Intellectual Property Defense Working Group.
 

This year, actions involving the association resulted in the seizure of more than 521,800 media (software and games). According to the organisation, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the places with the highest concentration of pirated products. 
 

The Association also carries out monitoring to combat internet piracy. Up to November, ABES had detected and removed 19,867 links that gave access to pirated computer programs and games, in addition to 19,414 illegal advertisements served on auction sites. During this period, 53 sites were also detected that illegally sold or made software available for download, and 21 of them were removed.
 

 

Fine can reach three thousand times the value of the license
 

Proprietary software piracy is considered a criminal practice and punishable by a fine of up to three thousand times the value of the license. In addition to compensation, those involved in the purchase, sale and use may respond to a criminal action of six months to four years, in accordance with federal laws 9609/98 and 9610/98.
 

New Reporting Portal 
 

As part of efforts to reduce software piracy in Brazil, ABES, together with (BSA) The Software Alliance, launched, in November, a software piracy reporting portal, www.denunciepirataria.org.br, focusing on companies and resellers that use or sell programs without proper licensing.
 

 Complaints are anonymous and must be submitted through the website. After being investigated by the two associations and, if there is evidence of irregularity, the necessary measures will be taken so that the cases are resolved quickly. Entities can communicate with software manufacturers, local authorities and file lawsuits to ensure that Brazil's software law is respected.