Business | Technology

Two software pirates arrested in Dubai police operation

Seventy counterfeit CDs and two desktop computers loaded with unlicensed versions of Micro-soft Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2007 software were confiscated in an anti-piracy raid in Dubai.

  • Staff Report
  • Published: 23:53 December 6, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: Seventy counterfeit CDs and two desktop computers loaded with unlicensed versions of Micro-soft Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2007 software were confiscated in an anti-piracy raid in Dubai.

Microsoft and the UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE) coordinated with authorities for the latest raids, said the Business Software Alliance (BSA), an organisation representing the computer software industry.

Two computer sellers in Dubai were found downloading business software without the correct legal licences.

The accused have now been charged with violating copyright law.

"Eliminating software piracy from the country is high on the agenda for the Ministry of Economy given the major negative impact piracy can have on the country's growing economy. We will continue to work closely with the BSA and its members to curb software piracy across the UAE, and we are confident that our concerted efforts will bring in expected results," said Mohammad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shahi, an undersecretary at the ministry.

"The latest raids reaffirm the commitment of the UAE Government and the BSA to rid the country of the menace of software piracy, which can significantly dent economic progress. The BSA will continue with its wide-ranging anti-piracy campaigns in the UAE which will serve as a strong warning to intellectual property rights offenders ... " said Jawad Al Redha, BSA co-chairman in the Gulf.

The recent BSA member-initiated effort is part of a broader ongoing campaign to completely remove unlicensed software programs from the whole of the UAE. The BSA said frequent raids and the following action against offenders will effectively deter other local software resellers from engaging in similar illegal activities.

Why do you think some people engage in such activities? What steps should be taken to create awareness about the issue? Would strict enforcement of anti-piracy regulations help eradicate piracy?


Your comments


I think advertisements play an important role in creating awareness regarding these issues. during the exibitions and conferences these companies should give some special brefing to audience (not to the high level audience but the middle or low level audience related to IT)
Shahid Ahmad Patel
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 07, 2008, 12:36

This is admirable but hardly attainable. To make it easier, authorities should consider what they are doing to improve the availability of software to customers.
Magnus
Dubai,UAE
Posted: December 07, 2008, 04:53

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