Entertainment of Friday, 8 September 2006

Source: GNA

Police arrest 25 people for piracy in Kumasi

Kumasi, Sept. 8, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Police in collaboration with the Ghana Association of Phonographic Industry (GAFI) and Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), on Thursday embarked on an anti-piracy campaign in the Kumasi metropolis during which 25 persons were arrested.

The suspects, whose names were not disclosed, were arrested at various locations in the metropolis and would soon be put before court after police investigations.

Police Inspector Mohammed Yusif Tanko of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit, who briefed the Ghana News Agency, said the five-hour operation formed part of measures to clamp down on pirating.

He gave the assurance that the police in collaboration with MUSIGA and GAFI would continue to embark on such exercises to rid the country of unscrupulous people who were bent on collapsing the music industry through pirating.

He also cautioned the public to endeavour to volunteer information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of such crimes. Inspector Tanko said this would enable local musicians and producers to recoup the huge amount of money they commit into the production of music in the country while also boosting the music industry.

Meanwhile, the police have impounded large quantities of cassettes, Compact Discs (CDs) and VCDs, which were believed to have been pirated by the suspects.