Unlicensed jukeboxes seized from Scottish pubs
Hundreds of jukeboxes have been ripped out of Scottish pubs after the machines were found to contain illegally downloaded music.
Grampian Police, BPI Anti Piracy Unit (APU) investigators and the Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL), arrested a 51-year-old male in conjunction with the supply of the machines.
It is alleged he illegally downloaded music content via uTorrent for use on unlicensed jukeboxes, which he supplied to hundreds of licensed premises.
Auhtorities said he made a significant income from his activities and was found to have over £10,000 cash in his car alone.
The authorities also visited all the licensed premises that they were aware of and forcibly removed the offending jukeboxes from the walls.
It follows the three bosses of Gateshead-based Access All Areas being found guilty to copyright infringement charges at Newcastle Crown Court in March. They supplied around 200 pubs in the area.
Richard Stewart, head of dubbing & tariff development, said: "The PPL and BPI have spent the last two years working on this particular case. Following on from the recent successes in Newcastle Crown Court against illegal jukebox providers, it further illustrates the fact that PPL is determined to protect the interests of its members and the legitimate suppliers in the market. Anyone who has any concerns about the legitimacy of their music supplier should contact PPL directly and we will be pleased to advise them."
Chris Black of jukebox manufacturer Sound Leisure said he hoped the action would send out a strong message to illegal suppliers. "Unlicensed jukeboxes featuring illegally downloaded music are damaging to everyone in the industry.
"It is impossible for legitimate operators and manufacturers to compete and we are all losing valuable business because of it. It is essential that anyone considering investing in a digital jukebox should ensure that they use a reputable supplier."
Soundnet's Simon Davis added: "We work very hard to source music for the jukeboxes we supply and to negotiate the licences to make sure that the artists are properly remunerated.
"When tracks are illegally downloaded and played from unlicensed jukeboxes, it makes a mockery of the system that we, and other companies in the industry have worked so hard to put into place. We are really pleased that this individual has been stopped and would like to congratulate the PPL and the BPI on their hard work."
