A SMALL local manufacturing company has been accused of using an
unprecedented $1.4 million worth of pirated software.
Following a tip-off, officers from the Criminal Investigation
Department's Intellectual Property Rights Branch raided the company
last Friday.
In a statement, software piracy watchdog Business Software
Alliance (BSA) said that 10 bootleg copies of Mastercam v9 and
Mastercam X5 software, worth a total of $1.4 million, was found.
The software in question, Mastercam v9 and Mastercam X5, is popular
with the manufacturing industry to create 3D models of precision
engineering parts.
The company - the authorities typically do not disclose the
names of accused parties until the case goes to court - would then
use the models generated to create plastic moulds for its
customers.
The BSA, which offers rewards of up to $50,000 to
whistleblowers, hailed the police action - and warned of more to
come.
Said its senior regional director for anti-piracy, Mr Tarun
Sawney: 'With the authorities taking firm action against the use of
infringing software in the workplace, and as more reports stream
in, it is imperative that business owners, managers and directors
take steps to ensure that their software is legal and fully
licensed.'
-- ST
