The man in charge of Interpol’s Intellectual Property Crimes Unit, John Newton, praised the job the Brazilian government has been developing to combat piracy.
According to Newton, the country is solidifying its position as a leader in this area, and Interpol wishes to continue its dialogue with the government to expand the campaign against this type of crime.
The Interpol official took part in the destruction of a million counterfeit CD’s in the Maracanã Stadium on January 20.
The coordinator of the Chamber of Deputies’ Subcommission on Piracy, Júlio Lopes, stressed the importance of the presence of Interpol’s global anti-piracy campaign director at the event, witnessing the progress Brazil has made and helping Brazil continue to maintain a permanent policy of combatting piracy.
For the deputy, Brazil “has shown the world that when society so desires, things really do happen in the country.”
He also pointed out that the mobilization that has occurred sets an example for the rest of the world, not just with the seizure of millions of CD’s, but of cigarettes, drinks, and phony medications as well.
According to Lopez, piracy inflicts losses equivalent to US$ 10 billion on the Brazilian economy every year and impedes the offer of two million jobs.
In 2004, the Association for the Protection of Intellectual Rights for Recordings (Apdif) registered the seizure of 17.5 million pirate CD’s in the country.
For its part, the Association for the Defense of Intellectual Property (Adepi), which oversees the film sector, gathered around 20 tons of illegal material.
Translation: David Silberstein
Agência Brasil