Gregory D. Evans | Ex-Hacker | TV Personality | Author

Toronto Police raided a large-scale operation that specialized in pirated DVD’s. Watch the raid.
Play Video

The seizure of illegally copied movies at a Toronto flea market shows Canada’s piracy laws are “weak” and average folks just don’t seem to care that it’s a crime.

The movie business is rapidly being destroyed by piracy, just as illegal file sharing has decimated the music industry in recent years, sources close to the investigation say.

But in buildings once used by Canada’s military, thousands upon thousands of illegal DVDs were allegedly being sold day in and day out.

“There’s a lot of money involved here,” Toronto Police Sgt. Steve Craddock said Sunday as the suspect discs were loaded into garbage bags at the Downsview Park Merchants Market Farmers Market.

“The people involved in this see our laws as weak,” he said, adding police would like to see much stiffer penalties for piracy.

Private investigators hired by the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, mostly retired cops, were at the flea market just two weeks ago.

During that visit, Craddock said more than 10,000 illegal DVDs were seized and numerous cease and desist orders were issued.

But rather than heed the warning, operators allegedly restocked their tables with pirated movies and continued to break the law.

So private investigators returned with Toronto Police Sunday. Another 5,000 or so movies were seized and operators of five booths were charged with possession of property obtained by crime.

Craddock said the offenders have absolutely no fear of the repercussions of getting caught and typically they are back up and running in less than 24 hours.

And just like drug dealers, sellers of pirated movies often use kids to skirt the law.

“They’re exploiting them,” Craddock said. “When a place is raided the child will stand up and say, ‘It’s mine.’”

Kids will only get a slap on the wrist when they are busted, he said.

“From what I understand, Canada is among the worst countries in the world when it comes to piracy,” said Craddock, explaining that not long ago the U.S. industry was considering delaying the release of Hollywood movies north of the border by up to a month in response to the problem.

The average consumer is clearly part of the problem.

As Craddock talked about the raid, numerous shoppers attempted to buy pirated movies from the uniformed officer.

But he believes the property owners should also be held accountable for what is being sold in their building.

“It’s pretty easy to tell these aren’t the real thing,” Craddock said. “It doesn’t take a genius.”