The UK 's Federation Against Copyright Theft announced that its anti-piracy investigators have worked with law enforcement officials to target pirate DVD sellers at markets in Durham and Nottingham, England. There were 16 suspects arrested: nine at Tanfield Lea, Durham and seven at Hucknall, Nottingham. More than 18,000 pirate DVDs were seized.

The Durham raid was a joint operation with Durham Constabulary; the eight men and one woman were arested and have been bailed to return in eight weeks.

The Nottingham raid was a joint operation with Nottinghamshrie Trading Standards and Nottinghamshire Police. The seven men have been bailed to appear in March.

'Working with Police and Trading Standards across the UK we aim to disrupt and dismantle pirate DVD trading, whether that be in car boot sales, in markets or online,' said Kieron Sharp, FACT director general. 'The manufacture and selling of counterfeit film product is illegal and contributes to crime in the local community. Film piracy also feeds hundreds of millions of pounds a year into organised crime networks and has associations with other serious criminal activity.'

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