The Customs Anti-Internet Piracy Team has arrested a 16-year-old student in Sau Mau Ping after cracking a case in which more than 600 pirated songs and 20 pirated films were provided for free download from a personal website.

Acting on a complaint from a copyright owner, following intensive investigations, Customs officers seized from a residential unit in Sau Mau Ping a desktop computer with broadband Internet devices, worth about $7,700. The student is now on bail pending further investigation.

More than 600 pirated songs and 20 pirated films had been available on a personal website for free download by Internet users. The personal computer had been converted into a server by means of a "Dynamic IP Re-direction Service" provided by a US website.

Including this case, the Anti-Internet Piracy Team has cracked nine cases on distributing pirated works online since its set up in 2000, resulting in the arrest of 13 people and a seizure worth $180,000.

Respect copyright

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong urged young people to respect intellectual property rights and stay away from piracy-related activities.

Noting that uploading or downloading pirated songs, films, dramas and software is a civil or criminal offence, Mr Wong said young people should not defy the law while parents should help children better understand the importance of copyright protection.

He stressed stringent enforcement had been taken to combat internet piracy, adding public education and co-operation with the trade would be bolstered in the coming months.