Huge fake records seizure could be 'first of many'

A police force has said it expects to seize more counterfeit vinyl records after their largest operation outside of the capital.

City of London Police said it discovered more than 6,000 fake records worth an estimated £260,000 at a large warehouse in Luton on 22 April.

There have been no arrests yet in connection with the seizure, which included music from The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, The Sex Pistols and Taylor Swift.

Criminals were looking to exploit the resurgence and the increase in commercial value of vinyl, which "causes real losses for artists and the wider music industry," said Sgt James Kirk.

"Vinyl has seen a strong resurgence in recent years, increasing its commercial value - as ever criminals are quick to exploit emerging trends for profit," he added.

"This operation sends a clear message that the sale of counterfeit goods will not be tolerated and highlights the impact that strong partnership working can have in tackling intellectual property crime."

The force said the warehouse was one of a number of pressing plants in the UK being used for counterfeit records.

It was the second largest counterfeit vinyl warrant that its dedicated unit had uncovered, the force said.

Vinyl records have enjoyed a commercial resurgence as a music format.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) said sales grew by 13.3% last year to 7.6 million units - the 18th consecutive year-on-year rise.

Taylor Swift's Life of a Showgirl was the UK's best-selling vinyl album with 147,000 copies sold.

"Physical formats remained central to chart success across the UK, driving strong engagement for artists spanning pop, rock and catalogue favourites," said BPI.

According to the UK's Intellectual Property Office, counterfeit records "deceive vinyl collectors and financially harm hard-working artists and the music ecosystem that supports them".

It said fake versions of popular albums had been discovered on marketplaces, sometimes priced as high as £1,000.

The BPI, which worked with the City of London Police during the operation, said it would "continue to take the fight back to the criminals".

Peter Ratcliffe, the director of content protection at BPI, said: "Like all illegal markets, this doesn't just damage our UK music industry, it potentially impacts every one of us as citizens, as these ill-gotten gains often fund other forms of criminal activity."

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