Book piracy targeted in raids across the country

Praveen Menon

• Last Updated: November 17. 2009 11:22PM UAE / November 17. 2009 7:22PM GMT

DUBAI // A series of raids has taken place across the UAE targeting book piracy following complaints from foreign publishers, it was revealed yesterday.

Local authorities said three traders had been arrested. They were charged with violation of copyright law and had their shops shut down after raids in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

The Arabian Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAA), which co-ordinated the raids with the Ministry of Economy and the police, said yesterday the action, which took place over the past few months, was taken on behalf of a number of UK and US publishers. However, it declined to reveal their identities or the titles affected.

“Pirates target everything,” said Scott Butler, the chief executive of the AAA.

“These pirated books were found in various areas of writing. They were a combination of fiction, non-fiction as well as text books.

“The books are printed outside the country and smuggled into the UAE. The printing is done en masse and they are distributed to all parts of the world,” he said.

The AAA said it wanted pirate traders to be given jail terms.

“Usually such shops will open again but … our aim is to seek imprisonment for the offenders,” said Ola Khudair, the alliance’s deputy chief executive.

pmenon@thenational.ae