US authorities have seized the domain names of more than 80 websites linked to unauthorised file sharing or the sale of fake goods.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, said the action was part of a long-term effort to tackle piracy and counterfeiting.
‘American business is under assault from counterfeiters and pirates every day, seven days a week,’ John T. Morton, the assistant secretary of ICE told The New York Times. ‘Criminals are stealing American ideas and products and distributing them over the Internet.’
ICE added that as this is an ongoing investigation, it would provide no additional details.
TorrentFreak.com has listed the 82 sites affected by the seizures, which it says are not entirely justified — or even-handed — as in the case of Torrent-Finder.com.
‘When a site has no [torrent] tracker, carries no torrents, lists no copyright works unless someone searches for them and responds just like Google, accusing it of infringement becomes somewhat of a minefield — unless you’re ICE Homeland Security Investigations that is,’ wrote TorrentFreak’s ‘enigmax’.
In a statement, the ICE stressed that sites selling counterfeit goods were the principle target of the clampdown.
‘By seizing these domain names, we have disrupted the sale of thousands of counterfeit items, while also cutting off funds to those willing to exploit the ingenuity of others for their own personal gain,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. ‘Intellectual property crimes are not victimless. The theft of ideas and the sale of counterfeit goods threaten economic opportunities and financial stability, suppress innovation and destroy jobs.’
The ICE action comes just days after the four Swedish founders of The Pirate Bay lost their appeal against the April 2009 ruling that found them guilty of copyright infringement. The appeal judge reduced their prison sentences, but increased ther collective fine by £1.3 million to £4.1 million and raised the amount they have to pay to the record industry to £4.1 million, from £2.8 million.
Peter Sunde, one of the co-founders, said that the four will lodge a final appeal with Sweden’s highest court.
