Detectives from the UK’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) have shut down karaoke torrent website Karaoke-world.co.uk yesterday, following a referral from PRS for Music.
The unlicensed BitTorrent site directed users to a catalogue of tens of thousands of copyrighted music files, including the latest chart music and karaoke hits.
The site required users to immediately ‘seed’ files – uploading them to help others downloads – to continue to use the service.
Karaoke World also offered VIP memberships for users of the website, which ranged from £5.00 to £90.00.
PIPCU detectives arrested the man believed to behind the website yesterday at a police station in Dewsbury. The 46-year-old was taken to a police station in Halifax for questioning and later received a caution.
Head of PIPCU, Detective Chief Inspector Danny Medlycott said, “The public needs to be aware that by accessing sites like this, they are putting money directly in the hands of criminals, which often then funds other serious organised crime, as well as putting their own financial and personal details at risk of being compromised and used for other fraudulent scams.
“These websites are stealing from the creative industries that employ thousands of people and PIPCU will continue to work closely with our partners to tackle the criminals behind these sites and bring them to justice.”
Simon Bourn, Head of Litigation, Enforcement and Anti-Piracy for PRS for Music said, “The livelihoods of song-writers represented by PRS for Music, both within the UK and internationally, and of all those who contribute to our diverse creative community, are underpinned by fair licensing and the protection of copyright.
“PRS for Music’s Anti-Piracy Unit is committed to actively pursuing those who use our songwriters’ and composers’ repertoire without permission, particularly the operation of online music services without the necessary licensing. The unit’s dedication in this case, involving careful investigative support which it provided to the police, ensured that an unlicensed UK-based BitTorrent music service for karaoke was located and closed down.”
PIPCU is based within the Economic Crime Directorate of the City of London Police, the National Policing Lead for Fraud. It is a specialist national police unit dedicated to protecting the UK industries that produce legitimate, high quality, physical goods and online and digital content from intellectual property crime.
The operationally independent unit launched in September 2013 with funding from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) until June 2015. It was announced in October last year that PIPCU will receive a further £3 million from the IPO to fund the unit up to 2017.Music Business Worldwide
