ESA Commends Mexican Law Enforcement for Recent Raids in Mexico City

Raid Seizes Thousands of Illegal Computer and Video Games

WASHINGTON, DC – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today applauded Mexico’s Metropolitan Delegation in Camarones of the Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) and the Federal Preventative Police for their recent raid in the Tepito area of Mexico City. The action resulted in the seizure of over 60,000 pirated computer and video games, 252 CD/DVD burners, and 98,000 pieces of packaging material used for pirated game software.

“Piracy hurts artists and entrepreneurs, paralyzes the development of a local game industry, and stymies our industry’s contributions to economies,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, the trade association representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. “We commend law enforcement officials for their actions in this raid and are fully committed to supporting authorities in Mexico and around the world in their efforts to combat entertainment software piracy.”

The Tepito action comes weeks after local law enforcement raided 37 apartments and dismantled pirating workshops, warehouses, and six pirate game software labs containing over 784 CD/DVD burners. Authorities also seized nearly 33,000 pirated games and over 1 million pieces of packaging material used to manufacture pirated games.

Tepito is one of the most popular shopping areas in Mexico City and is a local center of black market activity, including the manufacture and sale of pirated computer and video games. These two raids together represent the entertainment software industry’s largest strike against a pirate burning lab syndicate in Mexico City.

The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, owning the E3 Expo, business and consumer research, federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.