Police seize more than 20,000 music CDs along with movies, video games and equipment

Following a six-month investigation initiated by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), Toronto Police on Friday filed three criminal charges against an alleged major counterfeiter of music, movies, video games, electronic equipment and apparel.

Owen Brown, the owner of I-Man Muzik, was arrested during a raid at the Toronto store and held by police over the weekend. Brown, who faces three criminal copyright and fraud-related charges, has faced similar counterfeiting-related offences, following a series of police raids in 2003.

In addition to the arrests, police seized suspected counterfeit goods including approximately 20,000-25,000 music CDs, as well as movie DVDs, video games, name brand Bluetooth headsets, iPods, jackets, shirts and other apparel. Police also seized cash, business documents, and four CD/DVD burning towers, each with 6-8 burners, which together are estimated to be capable of producing almost 770 recorded discs per hour, or 30,720 discs in a 40-hour week. At least 100 CD/DVD spindles, most with 100 discs per spindle, were also confiscated along with cash, business documents and high-volume colour printers allegedly used to print labels and CDs.

"Today's arrests by Toronto Police, and CRIA's groundwork that led to this action, demonstrate our combined determination to stop the theft of music and other intellectual property," said Graham Henderson, President, Canadian Recording Industry Association. "We are grateful to the Toronto Police Service, and particularly the officers at 42 Division who arranged and executed the raid, for standing so firmly behind the rights of artists and rights holders."

Henderson added, "The message to counterfeiters is clear: we're on their trail and will take whatever steps are necessary to hold them accountable for stealing our products."

CRIA began investigating I-Man Muzik as part of an ongoing program to deter music counterfeiting and piracy. The 1162 Morningside Ave. outlet came to CRIA's attention because of the large volume of suspected counterfeit products openly offered for sale, the owner's failure to stop selling these products after the issuance of cease-and-desist orders dating back to December 2006, the presence of CD manufacturing equipment, and past criminal offences.

"The growing brazenness of counterfeiters and availability of pirated goods are further evidence that Canada needs tougher laws and enforcement to end these criminal activities," Henderson said. "The Toronto Police and other legal authorities in Canada need stronger tools and more resources to deter rampant intellectual property theft."

Counterfeiting and Internet piracy were primarily responsible for an unprecedented 35 percent decline in sales of CDs, music DVDs and other "physical" music formats in the first quarter of 2007 compared with the same period a year earlier. This came on top of an almost unbroken string of declines since the widespread advent of unauthorized file-swapping in 1999 and the proliferation of CD and music DVD counterfeiting in recent years.

Since CRIA began dedicated anti-counterfeiting operations almost one year ago, the association and police have seized more than 75,000 CDs and issued 20 cease-and-desist orders against retailers of illicitly copied music.

About the Canadian Recording Industry Association

The Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) promotes the interests of Canadian record companies.