Police raid Bradford computer fair

Two individuals have been arrested after a raid on a computer fair in Bradford.

West Yorkshire Police worked jointly with the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service (WYTSS) to make the arrests.

The pair were arrested for allegedly selling copied computer software and computer games, and approximately 12,000 counterfeit software discs and over 150 devices used for 'chipping' various games consoles were seized from their stalls.

Further seizures were made of software and other chipping devices at a number of stalls at the fair.

Officers from Trading Standards and the Neighbourhood Policing Team also carried out a house search in Leeds which uncovered approximately 5,000 counterfeit software, film and music discs.

Further investigations are being carried out by the WYTSS and West Yorkshire Police.

"The illegal software trade is worth hundreds of millions of pounds in the domestic market alone," said Graham Hebblethwaite, chief officer of WYTSS.

"Trading Standards has had the power to enforce the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act since April 2007 and is committed to enforcing this Act to eradicate the sale of counterfeit software, music and computer games in the county."

The WYTSS estimates the retail value of the items seized to be in excess of £100,000, but the equivalent value of original products is in excess of £1m.