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A father and his two sons ran a multi-million-pound pirate DVD racket, producing hundreds of thousands of illegal copies of Hollywood blockbusters
The gang provided a “one-stop shop” for criminals across the capital and the South-East.
Khalid Asghar-Sheikh, 53, and sons Sami, 28, and Rafi, 26, created an “industrial production line” at a factory in Walthamstow using the latest computer technology.
It was the first known rogue industrial replication plant in western Europe.
The men, all from North Chingford, were being sentenced at Southwark crown court today after being convicted of piracy and money laundering.
Also facing sentence is Xin Li, 34, an illegal immigrant, who acted as a quartermaster for the family and was convicted of concealing the proceeds of crime. Police found £24,000 in his bedroom in Walthamstow.
The court heard how the gang used a workforce of Chinese illegal immigrants who had been trafficked into the UK and were kept in “virtual slavery”.
The gang was caught after a parcel containing a Toyota car catalogue with 10 metal discs hidden in it, and addressed to Rafi Asghar-Sheikh, was intercepted at Stansted airport.
The discs were passed to the Federation Against Copyright Theft and found to be original master copies of films, which indicated the presence of a production plant making pirate copies.
After an extensive surveillance operation, in June 2006 police raided the plant in Walthamstow and a warehouse in Harlow, from which most of the DVDs were distributed. They also searched properties owned by the family in North Chingford, where they found £106,000 hidden in cash. Officers made 10 arrests.
Machinery was shipped through Vietnam and Hong Kong.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Mawer, leading the investigation, said: “This is the result of three years' hard work and investigation into the activity of an extensive criminal network.
“Film piracy is not a victimless crime and it is crucial that the public ask themselves if they want to play a part in the exploitation of vulnerable people by buying illegal DVDs.”
Fact's director-general, Kieron Sharp, said: “This was a well run and highly organised criminal enterprise with links to international crime gangs that are impacting on the livelihoods of the tens of thousands of people who work in the UK film and TV industries.”
Reader views (9)
Are there any official statistics which are available for scrutiny by the English public at large which will tell the true number of undesirables deported, why, when and how? It would also be intereesting to know how much it costs the taxpayer do get rid of these people.
- Cuddly Duddly, Cuffley, UK
People come to this country because as these fine examples of greed and corruption demonstrated they could claim housing benefit whilst running a multi-million-pound illegal DVD pirating operation. Yes they got caught after a lengthy and costly investigation but we all know that they will be released in a few years at the most. They will have laundered the profits overseas into accounts beyond the reach of the law, made sure that any properties or assets they have in this country are not directly owned by them and will be free to start up where they left off when released.
They also showed no regard whatsoever for the welfare of those illegal Chinese workers - the sentences passed are far too leniant and will not serve as a deterrant to other like minded criminals (recent immigrants or those born here) who will no doubt consider the risks and potential profits worth it.
- Michael, Slough
There's one girl and one only who works up and down our main road day in day out 7 days a week from early morning til late night selling DVDs from her bag. She's been doing it for years, every single person in the neighbourhood knows her. She NEVER approaches women, only men, and I have heard her 'talking sexy' trying to sell porn films. Even more scarily this girl gets in and out of cars on the street and I guess she's also prostituting. Around a year ago, she was heavily pregnant but there's never been any sign of her baby. She's clearly from South East Asia and illegal immigrant but the community police or no-one else has ever intervened or bothered to 'grass' on her. I guess everyone feels sorry for her but she looks happy and doesn't seem to be 'forced' altho this surely can't be the case. If the police cared about stopping this trade, they'd do more about it, it's rife and local people know exactly who the perpetrators are.
- Deano, London
Why do these people come here abusing our welcome and disrepect our Laws for their ill gotten gains ?
These people should use these work practices in their own country !
- Joe, Swanley Kent
What's the matter, Nolan? Are you going to have to find a new supplier for your cheap dvds?
We all know that the process for deporting illegal immigrants and even illegal immigrants that committ crimes is a elongated. At the end of this lengthy process that takes years, the likes of you then claim its is wrong to deport people that have 'settled' in the UK.
The main defence of mass immigration, though now disproved, was that these migrants brought wealth to the population. However, what the fascist left did not say was that it brings wealth to the already wealthy and to earlier immigrants who use and exploit these new entrants.
- Danny, NW5
Alas Nolan, noble though you are to stick up for them, they are indeed Moroccan. The pregnant British drug-smuggler is going to do her time back in a British jail, so surely there's no harm in these 3 doing theirs in Morocco?
- Roz, France
Deport them and the illegal "slaves". not our problem
- Kerry, Purley
On the contrary, I'm sure that all the "slaves" WILL be deported. Probably already have been. I don't suppose the authorities will have any more consideration for these people than their "employers" had.
There's no suggestion that the perpetrators of these crimes were illegal immigrants, just their workforce. Or do you now want to deport anyone who hasn't got a sufficiently "British" name?
- Nolan, Londonist
Only a couple of years in prison and of course no one will be deported.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
