The Echo reported:

“A CD piracy ring worth millions of pounds was smashed by police today.
In raids on 12 Merseyside homes, 21 people were arrested and thousands of CDs, DVDs and computer games seized.
Police also confiscated CD burners, computers and other equipment in the raids, the largest of their kind in the UK.
Up to 135 officers targeted homes in Kirkby, Fazakerley, Southport and Skelmersdale in Operation Zealot, uncovering four production factories believed to be chief suppliers of CDs, games and DVDs to Stanley Dock and Walton markets.”

One local resident commented, ‘I don’t mind so much because a cousin on me sisters side is a busy, so I suppose I’ll be able to get them off him now.’ However others expressed their fear that it could have a massive impact on the area ‘I remember when I seen on North West Tonight that they’d broke up a big pill ring and I remember saying to our Steve that it might effect the weekend, he said it wouldn’t, but we had to drive all the way to Manchester to get sorted, it was shit.’

“Eddy Leviten, from the Federation Against Copyright and Theft, said investigators had all the addresses under surveillance for six months.
"You can go to the market and confiscate the goods at the stall, but they will be back the next week.
"Today we've struck at the heart of this piracy operation, which costs the record, film and software industry millions in lost revenue.”

The Echo failed to question why Mersyside Police were so bothered about protecting the massive profits of the record, film and software industry. As most of the pirate goods were mainstream productions it would have little effect on grass roots arts, but it was automatically viewed as great news all round that people in Liverpool will have to pay inflated British prices to fatten the profits of Time Warner, Sony, MGM etc.

Some people say that modern day pirates are not as bad as the ones who used to rape and pillage across the Caribbean, however I doubt that Captain Black ever signed on whilst commandeering ships. Mr Levington revealed the full extent of these horrible crimes claiming, "These people are making thousands of pounds and many are living on benefits."

Meanwhile someone’s Gran had their house broken into and had to wait six hours for the police to arrive, she was quoted as saying “I understand the wait as the police were out there protecting copy write. Having to wait frightened and scared is a sacrifice I am prepared to make so that I am sure that when I buy the new GTA it will be the official one!”