Software pirates jailed
Huang Jer-sheng, owner of the Taipei-based distributor, Maximus Technology, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by a Taipei court, equalling the longest sentence ever handed down for this type of crime in Taiwan’s history. His three co-defendants were sentenced to terms ranging from eighteen months to three years.
Between 1997 and 2003, Huang and his associates were responsible for the production and distribution of more than 90% of the high-quality counterfeit Microsoft software products either seized by law enforcement or test purchased around the world.
The syndicate produced counterfeit versions of at least 21 Microsoft software products in seven languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Simplified Chinese, worth an estimated 900m. These products were then distributed and ultimately sold to unwitting resellers and consumers in over 600 cities and at least 22 countries across the globe.
Huang and his associates worked with counterfeiters in both Taiwan and southern China. Two CD replication plants in Taiwan, Chungtek Hightech Enterprise and Cinway Technology, were the main production centres for counterfeit software discs and components that were later found throughout the world.
Microsoft SA’s Mark Reynolds said the company would continue to crack down on counterfeiters and rogue computer dealers found installing illegal software on new computers being sold to customers.
The move is part of Microsoft’s Genuine Software Initiative (GSI), which aims to help protect legitimate distributors and customers from the effects of software piracy. The local subsidiary recently reached settlements worth thousands of rands with eight companies found selling computers which were illegally loaded with Microsoft software, and further announcements are expected in this regard in the coming weeks.
John Newton, manager of Interpol’s intellectual property crime project, says that the criminals behind counterfeit syndicates are organised, resourceful and willing to spend large amounts of money to develop and ship pirated goods to markets all over the world. "Piracy is a crime, pure and simple and it is imperative that we coordinate our efforts across the globe to stop these criminal syndicates and this illicit trade," adds Newton.
"Piracy remains one of the major hurdles to realising the potential of the information economy in SA and on the continent," says Alastair De Wet, SA chairman of the Business Software Alliance. "There is great concern for our local economy that over a third of software in use is illegal."
Loading ...