Illegal haul: Customs officers seize about 40,000 pirated optical discs, valued at $1.04 million, in Yuen Long and Mong Kok.

Customs officers cracked down on pirated optical disc manufacturing in Mong Kok and Yuen Long, arresting three men and four women and seizing about 40,000 pirated optical discs, valued at $1.04 million.

In Yuen Long, officers closed a replicating centre and an outlet of the syndicate and seized about 30,000 pirated optical discs, valued at about $785,000.

A 39-year-old woman who was the syndicate mastermind and a 29-year-old man were arrested. Customs officers are seeking legal advice for issuing a restraint order under the Organised & Serious Crimes Ordinance to freeze the syndicate's proceeds, estimated at $3.1 million.

In Mong Kok, officers raided two pirated optical discs storage centres and five outlets, seizing more than 10,000 pirated optical discs. They were worth about $255,000. They arrested two men and three women, aged 21 to 46.