B1.5m in pirate CDs seized

PATONG: Patrons of Patong’s formerly bustling trade in copy CDs and other pirated goods might have been forgiven for thinking it would be back to business as usual once the Apec delegates left the country, but a raid on a Patong shop last Friday night indicates otherwise. The raid, led by newly-installed Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangura and Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, seized fake and smuggled goods valued at 1.5 million baht but failed to make any arrests. Gov Udomsak, together with Vice-Governor Pongpow Ketthong and officers of the Kathu Police Station, announced the seizure at 8 pm Saturday night. They said the raid took place at a shophouse on Soi Kepsub in Patong the night before. Carrying a search warrant, police surprised the building’s occupants, though apparently not enough to prevent them from fleeing the scene on foot. Police said that because the shophouse had been locked from the inside, they were forced to break down the door, giving the occupants the opportunity to run away. But the fugitives apparently got away with little more than their freedom, because police announced that about 9,000 items, including foreign movies, music CDs and pornographic VCDs were confiscated. Tharadol Thongruang, Deputy Director of the Phuket Commercial Affairs office, told the Gazette that, given the huge number of items seized, he assumed the shop must have been newly-opened. Also seized that night from a small vending stall nearby were 972 other items including watches, pens, clothing and shoes, K. Tharadol said.