Gang jailed for overstaying and making fake DVDs

[General Veers]

Gang jailed for overstaying and making fake DVDs

Published on Feb 2, 2012

File photo of pirated DVDs seen at Sungei Road. Six Chinese nationals, aged between 20 and 34, were arrested when police raided a house in Jalan Rukam in Sembawang on Nov 3, 2011. All were working for a China-based syndicate making counterfeit digital video discs (DVD) here. -- ST PHOTO: ELGIN TOH

By Khushwant Singh

One was an illegal immigrant, the others were overstayers, and all were working for a China-based syndicate making counterfeit digital video discs (DVD) here.

The six Chinese nationals, aged between 20 and 34, were arrested when police raided a house in Jalan Rukam in Sembawang on Nov 3, 2011.

On Thursday, the five men and one woman pleaded guilty to immigration and copyright offences.

They were jailed up to 19 months. The four men, who overstayed here for more than 90 days, were also ordered to be caned three times.

A district court heard that police seized 1,586 DVDs containing 5,275 obscene films as well as cash of $1,472 in the raid.

Managing the operation was 34-year-old Li Jianhua. The court heard that his brother, Li Jianbing, 31, had asked him to come over to help him in his counterfeit DVDs business.

Jianhua arrived on Aug 18, 2010 and was granted a two-week visa.

Upon its expiry, he continued to remain here in an apartment in Lagoon View in Marine Parade where the syndicate counterfeited DVDs.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.