The IFPI has welcomed the closure of Fdzone.org (also known as P2PZone), an unlicensed music forum which is believed to have gained its operators $1.5 million in profits.
The forum, which was shut down by Macau and Hong Kong customs officials, had been running since 2003 and had amassed almost 900,000 users.
Officers from the Macau Customs Service and Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department raided premises associated with Fdzone on June 7, following a complaint from IFPI.
The suspected operator of the service was arrested, along with three other people who are believed to have handled illegal proceeds generated by the forum. Customs officials also seized computers, servers, cash, credit cards and documentation in the raids.
It’s alleged that the site made substantial revenues from subscription and advertising but the site's operator is believed to have begun charging users for access from 2009.
The fee was recently increased, despite the implementation of the newly-revised copyright law in Macau that toughened penalties on those making a profit from copyright infringement. The operator is also believed to have made around US$650 daily from advertising fees.
The unlicensed forum contained thousands of infringing links to Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Western repertoire. Some of these links were to files containing large compilations of work by different artists.
“We are delighted that Macau and Hong Kong Customs officials have acted promptly on our complaints and taken action to close this lucrative unlicensed business down,” said regional director of IFPI Asia Leong Mayseey.
“Copyright-infringing sites such as FDZone.org are a huge problem for legal music services in the region which offer consumers a great service while respecting artists and songwriters. Actions such as these are great help in boosting that legitimate business.”
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