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US launches biggest crackdown on software pirates

Dharam Shourie in New York

In the biggest-ever crackdown on software piracy groups, American investigators have served 37 search warrants in 27 cities across the country, seizing computers and software from leading university campuses, houses and businesses.

Searches were also being undertaken in Britain, Australia, Finland, Norway and Sweden where another 20 search warrants had been issued and one report said five people were held in Britain.

The crackdown follows investigation into the activities of a group called Warez, which is allegedly involved in pirating copyrighted material.

US customs officials were quoted as saying that 'Operation Buccaneer', as the crackdown is called, is the largest and most extensive investigation of its kind and underscored the gravity of a multibillion dollar swindle on the Internet.

They said they expect to seize about 130 computers, each of which, they believe, could contain thousands of pirated software, movie and music titles.

Authorities said billions of dollars worth of pirated software, movies and music titles might have been sold around the world.

ABC television network reported that a major group targetted by US investigation is DrinkOrDie, founded by a Russian hacker in 1993, and believed to be responsible for cracking and distributing Microsoft's Windows 96 operating system two weeks before its official release.

According to Customs officials, DrinkOrDie may be one of the most sophisticated Internet piracy group in the Warez community.

Officials were quoted as saying that they believe Warez pirates, including DrinkOrDie, were usually white-collar workers, corporate executives, computer network administrators, university students and employees of technology and computer firms.

Officials said often pirates crack copyrighted software for 'intellectual challenge' and not profit. Duke University, University of California and Massachusetts Institute of Technology were among the leading universities which were served search warrants.

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