Hong Kong makes DVD raids

Illegal burning facilities seized by authorities

By PATRICK FRATER

"Ratatouille" was among several discs seized in the raid.

HONG KONG - Authorities in Hong Kong and Malaysia have both raided illegal DVD burner facilities and disrupted production of pirate movies.

In Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA), with support from the Malaysian Federation Against Copyright Theft (MFACT) seized 340 optical burners in a raid on a private house.

Pirate discs seized included "Ratatouille," "Resident Evil," "30 Days of Night" and local movie "Impak Maksima." Plant could have produced 18 million discs annually. Four people were arrested.

Hong Kong Customs Special Task Force raided a criminal syndicate producing pirated discs which were sold by street hawkers in the busy Mong Kok district. They seized 105 burners and arrested three people.

Pirate copies included films "Lust Caution," "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," "The Invasion" and "Shoot 'Em Up."

In both cases police say the raids were the biggest burner hauls of 2007.