A MAN selling thousands of pirate Bollywood DVDs has had to fork out more than £16,000 after an investigation by Ealing Council.
Kolbir Singh, owner of Music Junction in South Road, Southall appeared at Ealing Magistrates Court on May 11. He pleaded guilty to nine charges of possessing counterfeit DVDs for sale and supplying DVDs with no classification certificate.
Singh was fined £9,000, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15 along with full costs of £7,270, totalling £16,285.
Officers from Trading Standards visited the store following a tip off from a member of the public, and seized more than 10,000 pirate DVDs.
The haul included pirate copies of Bollywood blockbusters such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Om Shanti Om. The counterfeit movies will now be destroyed.
Mr Singh has since reopened the business as a pawn shop and pound store.
Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for community services and safety, said: “The sale of fake DVDs means everyone loses out.
“Customers are ripped off because they get a poor quality product, it also hits law-abiding local traders selling the genuine item and harms the creative industry.
“I am pleased that the courts have taken it so seriously and would encourage people to report any traders selling counterfeit goods.”
Anyone with any information about traders selling counterfeit products or banned items should contact Trading Standards on 020 8825 8175 or tradingstandards@ealing.gov.uk.
