UK trading standards office and local police, assisted by investigators from the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) seized fake DVDs and Nintendo Wii games with street value of nearly £300,000 in a raid on a property in the West Midlands.

Counterfeit copies of recent films including The Mummy 3, The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia and Nintendo Wii games such as Mario Olympics and NBA 08 were among items captured.

Following intelligence received from FACT, an early morning raid at a property last week saw the seizure of a substantial quantity of 'master' discs capable of being used to produce multiple copies of well-known films and games. Officers started at 5.30am and were still working until 10.30pm.

Around 9,000 discs with an estimated street value of £250,000 were seized with approximately 1,000 Nintendo Wii games with a market value estimated at up to 40,000. Top quality printing and computer hardware were also seized. Two people were arrested and bailed pending further investigations and are facing criminal charges.

Kieron Sharp, Director General of FACT, said: "The trade in counterfeit DVDs over the internet is not a harmless activity but serious and organised criminality that FACT is working to attack in conjunction with law enforcement agencies across the UK. This criminality affects the livelihoods of the tens of thousands of people who work in the UK film and TV industries.

Story filed 02.12.08