Two men arrested in fake software sting by PIPCU

Detectives from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) have arrested two men for selling fake software loaded onto computer discs.

The men, aged 48 and 45, have been selling software manufactured by Microsoft and Adobe on a dedicated website, suggesting it was a full-scale criminal operation.

Danny Medlycott, the newly appointed head of PIPCU, said: "[The] operation demonstrates we are dedicated to combating IP crime and protecting legitimate UK businesses and consumers.

"It is important that consumers are aware of the risks of buying counterfeit items. Not only is purchasing fake software violating the intellectual rights of software authors, but consumers are also putting their computers and laptops at risk from security threats, such as viruses and malware."

The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) supported PIPCU's move, saying genuine software resellers need to ensure they can run their business on a level playing field, without counterfeit distributors getting in the way of their livelihoods.

"The future prosperity of computing is paramount, especially considering the rise of cloud computing and the need to keep such environments cyber-crime free," commented Julian Heathcote Hobbins, General Counsel at FAST.

PIPCU was set up by the City of London Police to crack down on counterfeit goods and piracy.

Earlier this week, it arrested a Manchester-based man who was running several illegal sports streaming websites, and charging a subscription for people to watch international sporting events.

In May, the organisation started blocking some of the biggest torrent sites to stop them illegally distributing materials, starting with major perpetrator Torrentz.eu.

In December last year, it closed down 90 websites selling counterfeit goods in the UK, including headphones, sports clothing, personal care products, shoes, toys, luxury goods, mobile phones and electronic accessories.