DVD pirates are being targeted in a new campaign backed by West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service.
The £1.5m national campaign aims to highlight the involvement of serious criminals - including people traffickers and terrorists - in the distribution of pirate DVDs.
It aims to shows consumers that pirated copies of movies sold on the black market before the legal release date are invariably a rip-off, filmed with camcorders from the back seat of cinemas.
Last month alone, trading standards officers working with police in West Yorkshire seized counter- feit goods with a street value of more than £300,000 - with DVDs featuring prominently.
Graham Hebblethwaite, divisional manager of West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service, said the campaign would help to send a strong message to consumers that DVD piracy was not only a rip-off but heavily linked to organised crime.
"Buying a pirated DVD helps fuel organised crime and threatens the livelihood of bona fide retailers," he said.
"It is also a false economy, as these poor copies are usually a rip-off, giving a dreadful viewing experience with fuzzy pictures and poor sound."
Anyone who knows of pirate DVD activity in West Yorkshire can report it anonymously by calling 0845 6034567, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service on 08454 04 05 06 or via www.piracyisacrime.com
