Another successful ELSPA raid: US$ 24,000 found inside consoles

Posted Jan 29, 2008 at 12:24AM by QJ Staff Listed in: News Tags: ELSPA, Michael Rawlinson, UK
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The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) sent QJ.NET another press release informing us about another successful raid against video game pirates in Tower Hamlets in UK.

Aside from the organization's IP Crime Unit investigators, additional manpower was provided by Tower Hamlets Trading Standards representatives and officers from the Metropolitan Police. ELSPA Managing Director Michael Rawlinson had this to say:

It never ceases to amaze ELSPA and its investigators the lengths criminals go to make money - and always to the detriment of honest, hard working businesses. I congratulate Tower Hamlets Trading Standards on bringing to an end this illegal business operation.


The raid led to the confiscation of 75 SD memory cards that were being used by the unnamed suspect to sell PlayStation Portable titles. Quite interestingly, the following items were also seized:
  • Xbox containing a staggering 5,925 GBP (US$ 11, 769) where the hard drive should have been
  • Three PlayStation 2 units each volunteered 2,835 GBP (US$ 5,631), 2,025 GBP (US$ 4,022, and 1,425 GBP (US$ 2,830) respectively
  • Circumvention devices (chips)
  • Tampered hard drives
ELSPA, finally, mentioned that a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) investigation has already been initiated to estimate the criminal gain from the said illegal activities.

Another successful ELSPA raid: USD 24,000 found inside consoles - Image 1 Another successful ELSPA raid: USD 24,000 found inside consoles - Image 2 Another successful ELSPA raid: USD 24,000 found inside consoles - Image 3 Another successful ELSPA raid: USD 24,000 found inside consoles - Image 4



 
 
 

Comments

by weapon33 - 2008-01-29 01:14:50
oh please save us

i sure hope no one tries to modify my console that would be terrible. for real tho, i have 2 modded xboxes and i dont even play xbox games on there i use them for xbmc, emus, apps, i check my rss, email..blah blah just saying this ***** is stupid because its not just piracy people mod there consoles for. And like piracy is really that much of a market loss, because theres always the implication that said person was EVER going to buy the product. thats like saying that torrent guy was planning on spending 40k usd on dvds, cds, games just because he has the equivalent on his hdd.
by treyjazz - 2008-01-29 01:58:51
hmmm

I'm thinking the original article is wrong on this but SD cards with PSP backups on them? If people actually bought an SD card for their PSP they would be pretty disappointed after countless minutes of trying to jam it in the MS slot! :D Those are some nice mods BTW. Think they were trying to prove that the DS isn't the only system that can print money but ELSPA stopped them before they could complete the mod.
by - 2008-01-29 05:24:12
yup!

we thought that as well but those are exactly what elspa said.. oh well.. :)
by Hekynn - 2008-01-29 07:42:16
scary

thats scary man
by jmike78237 - 2008-01-29 13:34:12
price wise

putting the back-up on an SD card is more price effective than on a memstick. Just last night, I picked up a 4Gb pro duo card for $50 usd, and 2Gb cards were 25 usd. a damn good price! SD cards can be found online for 11 usd. this is cost effective for pirates. Because an UNCOMPRESSED iso or cso will never be more than 1.8 Gb, there is no need for larger cards, with compression, cost is driven farther down. Anyone with a card reader + an external drive can make custom packages on any number of media cards. Then, the purchasers got to get it on the PSP on their own. admittedly, I've put CFW on 6 PSPs. I've never charged a cent, + I've only given info on what they may have been looking for.
by PSPMAN90 - 2008-01-29 18:41:08
Woah!

PSP UMD are suppose to be sell by their respective companies and stores. In the other hand ISO/CSO are suppose to be UPLOADED and DOWNLOADED free! Thats why they r on the net, if they were to buy, we just can go to the store and buy the fricking UMD! RIGTH? And Moding is no pyracy as long u don't sell the console... Because u r altering the CONSOLE Functionalities and thats against the Console Company! So thats why is Piracy if u sell and Moded XBOX or PS2. Also a PSP an etc if is Moded and the authorities know you are selling moded PSP's like an normal seller u got arrested! Mod and price piracy = Jail, Mod and free piracy= " No Body's fault '' XD! So keep doing what u do, but please do it carefully. cautious and please free, don't show ! Xhanks! PSPMAN90

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