Green berets smash piracy ring

Italian tax police claim to have broken up one of Europe's biggest piracy operations, and have charged 181 people for offences under Italian copyright law.

In raids the police allegedly found illegally copied software, music and films, including Microsoft software, the latest Robbie Williams album and current films such as Die Another Day.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) said that 10,300 customers and associates are also being investigated across Europe.

"This is a very good result," said Nico Galtieri, anti-piracy consultant for the BSA in Italy.

"This showed how a combined operation can work when everyone co-operates. They had CD recorders going six hours a day for 200 days of the year. It was a major piracy ring in operation."

The group has been charged with illegally copying products and selling them using websites and mailing lists.

The BSA has estimated the group's annual turnover at €100m. Under Italian law the gang could receive fines of twice the market value of the material they stole if found guilty.

During the investigation, dubbed Operation Mouse, 12 websites and 28 email accounts were monitored and intercepted by the Green Berets unit of Milan's Rapid Reaction Force, a division of the Italian financial police.