NEWS
10.30.08 Italian fiscal police prosecute 46 for serious uploading
VENICE – Italian fiscal police have prosecuted 46 people for uploading large amounts of copyright infringing music onto the internet. Operation ‘Music Box' was undertaken by the Guardia di Finanza of Venice, with the assistance of local industry anti-piracy group FPM.
The fiscal police discovered more than 1.7 million illegal mp3 files and more than 15 000 burnt CD-Rs containing copyright-infringing music. Raids around the country in 13 different provinces also led to the seizure of 52 desktop computers, two laptops, 81 external hard drives and 69 internal hard drives.
Under Italian law, the individuals who uploaded the unlicensed music tracks onto the internet using major peer-to-peer services such as eMule and DirectConnect++ were held liable for more than €3 million in administrative sanctions.
Operation ‘Music Box' also led to the prosecution of two individuals for file-sharing images of child pornography.
Enzo Mazza, president of FPM, says: "People who upload hundreds or thousands of copyright-infringing music tracks onto the internet are breaking the law. They are stealing the livelihoods of artists, composers and record producers. I am delighted the Guardia di Finanza is holding them accountable for their actions."
The widespread availability of copyright-infringing music online in Italy has led the trade value of the recording industry to shrink from €370.1 million in 2003 to €266.2 million in 2007. Record companies are the main investors in artists' careers, spending up to 20 per cent of their revenues on discovering and nurturing new talent. Falling revenues caused by online piracy mean there is less money to invest in new acts.
