Mass swoop nets 200,000 pirated VCDs

Customs officers yesterday mounted one of their biggest operations against pirated VCDs.

The raids followed complaints from a delegation of Japanese programme-makers visiting Hong Kong.

One hundred and fifty uniformed and plain-clothes officers swooped on 26 shops on three floors of the Sino Centre in Nathan Road, Mongkok.

They seized an estimated 200,000 pirated Japanese dramas and cartoon discs worth about $2 million.

Twenty-four men and five women, aged between 17 and 55, were arrested.

A Customs spokesman said it was the first time raids had targeted pirated Japanese shows.