Source: O Globo Online, 28/05/2009

BRASILIA - The government estimates that it stops collecting US $ 30 billion a year in taxes due to piracy. According to the Minister of Justice, Tarso Genro, last year alone R $ 1 billion in illegal products were seized by the authorities, which represents “about 10% to 15% of the products in circulation” in a market that handles at least R $ 10 billion a year.

The stock balance between 2004 and 2008 shows that R $ 4 billion in seized goods were seized. 64 special operations were carried out by the Federal Police, 1.050 people were arrested and 32.668 investigations were opened. The number of people detained was even greater: 84.398. In pirated glasses alone, seizures reached 12,7 million units and 23 million media were seized. The government also collected 170 tons of fake drugs and 11,8 million packages of cigarettes.

”The consumer has to understand that when he buys a pirated product he is buying a product against him. It is a bad product, which pays no taxes, which reduces revenue and reduces formal employment. ”

According to the executive secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Luiz Paulo Barreto, with these actions, the government managed to remove Brazil from the American black list. The United States included the country on the list of nations that "cause greater concern with regard to the protection of intellectual property".

- The fight against piracy is a worldwide problem and is considered by the Interpol (International Police) the crime of the century.