US Raids 30 Sites For Chips That Allow Pirated Video-Game Play
WASHINGTON (AP)--Federal customs agents Wednesday raided more than 30 businesses and homes, looking for devices that allow pirated video games to be played on Sony Corp.'s (SNE) Playstation 2, Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) XBOX and XBOX 360 and Nintendo Co.'s (NTDOY) Wii.
The alleged sale and distribution of illegal modification chips and copyright circumvention devices for these popular consoles and others included 32 search warrants in 16 states, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
The federal raids came after a year-long investigation conducted by ICE's Office of the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Cleveland.
ICE declined to release the names of those targeted or any other details.
The illegal chips and other devices used on gaming consoles violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
"Illicit devices like the ones targeted today are created with one purpose in mind, subverting copyright protections," Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for ICE, said in a release. "These crimes cost legitimate businesses billions of dollars annually and facilitate multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering."
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200708011256DOWJONESDJONLINE000934_FORTUNE5.htm
WASHINGTON (AP)--Federal customs agents Wednesday raided more than 30 businesses and homes, looking for devices that allow pirated video games to be played on Sony Corp.'s (SNE) Playstation 2, Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) XBOX and XBOX 360 and Nintendo Co.'s (NTDOY) Wii.
The alleged sale and distribution of illegal modification chips and copyright circumvention devices for these popular consoles and others included 32 search warrants in 16 states, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
The federal raids came after a year-long investigation conducted by ICE's Office of the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Cleveland.
ICE declined to release the names of those targeted or any other details.
The illegal chips and other devices used on gaming consoles violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.
"Illicit devices like the ones targeted today are created with one purpose in mind, subverting copyright protections," Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for ICE, said in a release. "These crimes cost legitimate businesses billions of dollars annually and facilitate multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering."
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200708011256DOWJONESDJONLINE000934_FORTUNE5.htm
