More than 150,000 CDs and DVDs were taken from the Barras Market in the east end of the city in a joint operation by police and trading standards officers.

The raid was the result of a surveillance operation lasting several months.

Seven stalls and one shed in the famous street market were targeted.

Counterfeit operations on this scale are taking away the viability of legitimate retailers in city centre

John McGowan Fact

As police and anti-piracy officials approached, the stallholders fled, leaving their stock behind.

John McGowan, the Scottish senior investigator for the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact), said he believed the Barras market was out of control.

He said it was probably one of the worst in Europe for law enforcement.

"This is a public market several hundred yards from the main retail area of the city.

Stricter controls

"Counterfeit operations on this scale are taking away the viability of legitimate retailers in city centre.

"What is happening is in contravention of existing trade laws which are not being enforced by the council."

He said material on some of the DVDs was only available in the cinema, but video pirates were now smuggling camcorders in to record films as they were being shown and then downloading them.

It is understood the newly formed Glasgow Retailers Forum is to urge the city council to implement stricter controls at the Barras.

Bootleg traders

Officials from Fact and the British Phonographic Industry, accompanied by Strathclyde Police, spent several hours recovering the goods.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "We rejected any allegation that we are turning a blind eye or being lenient towards bootleg traders.

"We regularly carry out raids in conjunction with the police against people who trade in pirate videos, DVDs and music CDs."

He said withdrawing the market's licence would penalise legitimate traders.