Pirated CDs More Sophisticated, Tied To Organized Crime

FMQB: The RIAA's annual Commercial Piracy Report released a week ago has turned up some troubling (non-internet) statistics showing that pirated CD distributors are increasingly manufacturing and selling higher-quality product that closely resembles legitimate CDs. "The practice and trade of music piracy have become more sophisticated, cunning and connected to organized crime", said EVP of Anti-Piracy Brad Buckles.

Latin music continues to be among the most heavily pirated genres, comprising nearly half of all illicit music product seized in 2004...The study also notes that the sale of pirated CDs has largely moved from street vendors to indoor retail locations such as convenience stores and corner markets...The RIAA's numbers show a 58 percent (1.2 million discs) increase in seizures of counterfeit CDs in 2004. The number of counterfeit CDs that were seized actually declined 27 percent, while the seizure of counterfeit labels rose 372 percent and seizures of CD-R burner equipment nearly doubled compared to 2003.