Dogs Sniff Out Counterfeit DVDs in NY - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 09-03-2007, 01:22 PM

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070830/D8RBESLO0.html

Dogs Sniff Out Counterfeit DVDs in NY

(AP) Two black Labrador dogs, Lucky and Flo, sit next to the shipment boxes containing pirated DVDs...Full Image

NEW YORK (AP) - There's no need to fear - unless you bootleg DVDs.
The movie industry's real-life "Underdogs" - two specially trained black Labradors - have sniffed out a large inventory of knockoff discs in the New York City borough of Queens, the district attorney's office said Wednesday.

The dogs, named Lucky and Flo, participated in a probe resulting in raids on three retail outlets where investigators discovered thousands of hidden DVDs. Titles included "The Simpsons Movie,""The Bourne Ultimatum" and "Underdog," the film inspired by a cartoon superhero beagle. Three people were arrested and charged with trademark counterfeiting.

Lucky and Flo are sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America, and are trained to identify discs by the scent of chemicals.

"Man's best friend has become a DVD counterfeiter's worst nightmare," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement.

It was their first assignment in the U.S., following a successful assignment in Malaysia in March. During that stint - dubbed Operation Double Trouble - they helped unearth nearly 1.9 million DVDs, three DVD replicating machines and 97 compact disc burners, worth $6 million. Twenty-six people were arrested on copyright violations.

The operations were so successful that Malaysian movie pirates were reported to have placed a bounty of $29,000 on the dogs, prompting them to be kept under close guard. Movie studios in the U.S. lost $6.1 billion to worldwide piracy in 2005, of which the Asia-Pacific region accounted for $1.2 billion and the United States for $1.3 billion, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.

Mikado · 09-03-2007, 01:45 PM

interesting story...poor doggies have a huge bounty on their heads? (Have criminals NO shame?)

OH Nuts! · 09-03-2007, 02:32 PM

Mikey, unfortunately most criminals are sociopathic so guilt and empathy are pretty much foreign concepts to them. I am glad there are mechanisms in place to protect intellectual property and also feel sorry for the dogs.

09-03-2007, 01:22 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Dogs Sniff Out Counterfeit DVDs in NY http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070830/D8RBESLO0.html Dogs Sniff Out Counterfeit DVDs in NY (AP) Two black Labrador dogs, Lucky and Flo, sit next to the shipment boxes containing pirated DVDs...Full Image NEW YORK (AP) - There's no need to fear - unless you bootleg DVDs. The movie industry's real-life "Underdogs" - two specially trained black Labradors - have sniffed out a large inventory of knockoff discs in the New York City borough of Queens, the district attorney's office said Wednesday. The dogs, named Lucky and Flo, participated in a probe resulting in raids on three retail outlets where investigators discovered thousands of hidden DVDs. Titles included "The Simpsons Movie,""The Bourne Ultimatum" and "Underdog," the film inspired by a cartoon superhero beagle. Three people were arrested and charged with trademark counterfeiting. Lucky and Flo are sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America, and are trained to identify discs by the scent of chemicals. "Man's best friend has become a DVD counterfeiter's worst nightmare," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement. It was their first assignment in the U.S., following a successful assignment in Malaysia in March. During that stint - dubbed Operation Double Trouble - they helped unearth nearly 1.9 million DVDs, three DVD replicating machines and 97 compact disc burners, worth $6 million. Twenty-six people were arrested on copyright violations. The operations were so successful that Malaysian movie pirates were reported to have placed a bounty of $29,000 on the dogs, prompting them to be kept under close guard. Movie studios in the U.S. lost $6.1 billion to worldwide piracy in 2005, of which the Asia-Pacific region accounted for $1.2 billion and the United States for $1.3 billion, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.

09-03-2007, 01:45 PM	#2
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,892	interesting story...poor doggies have a huge bounty on their heads? (Have criminals NO shame?)

09-03-2007, 02:32 PM	#3
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Mikey, unfortunately most criminals are sociopathic so guilt and empathy are pretty much foreign concepts to them. I am glad there are mechanisms in place to protect intellectual property and also feel sorry for the dogs.