By Rodrigo Ferreira, Diário de S. Paulo - 28/01/2005

Civil police seized 22.665 pirated CDs yesterday at the Stand Center gallery, located on Avenida Paulista, in the central region of the capital. A group of 19 people selling the products in ten different stores was caught red-handed. The operation was carried out by 16 police officers from the Piracy Combat Police Station of the General Investigations Division (DIG), of Deic. ? In order not to alert the security system of the stores, we arrived in uncharacterized cars and with the police at odds. Were several irregular stores operating normally ?, declared the 1st DIG's chief delegate, Ismael Rodrigues.

It took the police a few minutes to find vast irregular material. The more than 22 confiscated pirated CDs contained films, computer programs, games and music. The products were distributed in small stores that occupy rented areas at the Stand Center. ? We are going to investigate whether the mall management knew about the irregularities in the stores ?, said Rodrigues. The delegate did not rule out making new operations in the gallery. ? We must maintain constant actions not only here but also elsewhere in the city.? The 19 prisoners were fined in the act at the 1st DIG of Deic. The penalty for this type of crime ranges from one to four years in prison.