A man and a woman are being questioned after a raid on a house in Lanarkshire uncovered a major CD counterfeiting operation.

Trading standards officers believe it is one of the biggest scams of its kind found in Scotland.

Thousand of illegally copied CDs, DVDs and videos were discovered, thought to have been bound for markets in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Nineteen CD writers, 11 DVD writers and 15 video recorders were seized from the house in Airdrie.

The manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit goods has a detrimental impact on legitimate manufacturers and traders Dave Roderick North Lanarkshire Council

Three authorities were involved in the early morning raid - Strathclyde Police, North Lanarkshire Council trading standards officers and the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS).

They say the operation was likely to have been working at full capacity to produce enough fake products to satisfy Christmas demand at Scotland's markets.

Nick Kounoupias, of the MCPS's anti-piracy unit, said: "You can strip a market of illegal goods but within a few days, the illegal product is back.

"Today's raid will have caused serious supply problems for those involved in the trading of courterfeit product in the run-up to Christmas."

10 years maximum

Dave Roderick, the council's trading standards manager, said counterfeiting was costing communities dearly.

"The manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit goods has a detrimental impact on legitimate manufacturers and traders," he declared.

The two people being questioned could be charged under the Copyright, Designs & Patents Act (1988), the Trade Marks Act (1994) and the Trade Descriptions Act (1968).

The maximum penalty for counterfeiting and trade marks offences is 10 years imprisonment.