Pirated DVDs seized in Kalibo raid

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The Optical Media Board (OMB) National Office raided stalls in Kalibo, Aklan selling fake or pirated digital video discs (DVDs) and CDs on Tuesday.

OMB Intelligence Officer II Ariel Inocencio said they seized the contraband as part of the agency’s intensified campaign against piracy.

“Tuloy tuloy ang ating operasyon hindi lamang sa Aklan, maging ibang parte ng Pilipinas, sa Metro Manila, sa malapit na bayan doon,” he said.

“Hindi tayo titigil hanggat hindi natin napatigil ang kanilang modus operasyon. Nagsisikap tayong hulihin sila para mabawasan ang mga taong involved sa mga illegal na DVDs and CDs.”

The raid was conducted in coordination with Kalibo police against the sellers of pirated CDs and DVDs. The operation yielded 40 sacks of pirated digital stuff from stalls in Kalibo Shopping Center and Kalibo Public Market.

“Sa Kalibo, binibili ito sa mga kalapit na bayan at ibinibenta ang mga pirated DVDs sa shopping area. Dumadami na ang nagtitinda dito sa Kalibo. May natanggap tayong impormasyon na mayroong DVD burners dito, but there were no reported replicating machines here,” added Inocencio.  

Prior to the raid, OMB’s intelligence report cited the rampant selling of pirated discs and most of the seized pirated DVDs came from China being sold by members of Muslim community in Kalibo. 

Although no arrests were made during the raid, Inocencio said they will continue to monitor in Aklan the proliferation of pirated DVDs containing pirated movies and music.