Federal agents and local police detectives said they've made one of the largest seizures of counterfeit CDs and DVDs in Oregon history.

Investigators said the year-long investigation led to the arrests of four people Thursday morning after they searched seven properties in the Portland area and confiscated more than 100,000 counterfeit CDs.

Detectives said the total worth of the pirated CDs and DVDs is well over $2 million and that this kind of theft hurts everyone.

At Gresham City Hall Thursday afternoon, detectives displayed some of the things confiscated during the raids that took place in southeast Portland, Gresham and Beaverton. 

Detectives said the investigation began 14 months ago when officers began receiving complaints from businesses that they couldn't compete with the lower prices of the counterfeit CDs and DVDs sold at flea marts in Portland and Gresham.

In all, detectives said they seized more than 100,000 CDs and 50,000 DVDs along with pirated sunglasses, watches, purses and shoes.

Investigators took four people into custody: Gabriel Mata, Stacey Nelson, Zelsa Romero-De Ibarra and Emilio Chavez-Herrera.

Representatives of the American Recording Industry said this kind of theft hurts local merchants as well as the artists.

"It's an enormous impact for the music industry. An organized effort like this taking product off the street clearly makes the criminals move their operations to other areas," said Kathy Leodler, who works in the recording industry.

Investigators said this case may not yet be over and that more arrests may be coming.

source: kptv.com

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