According to local media reports, Swindon is experiencing an “illegal porn explosion”, with traders offering pirated DVDs containing acts that would never be classified in the UK.
Local Trading Standards Officers seized a quantity of films from an illegal immigrant, named as Zhong Chen, and the man was sentenced to five and a half months in prison last week. He was caught trying to sell films, some of which allegedly featured sex acts with animals, on the Elgin Industrial Estate
“What they have been doing is going round the trading estates and building sites, selling them that way,” said Phil Thomas, head of commercial regulation at Swindon Council, in the Swindon Advertiser.
“And we are almost certain this guy will be replaced. We are talking about a national organised crime network. I have no doubt that they won’t be being choosy about who they are selling whatever to. I don’t think they will be asking for ID before selling counterfeit DVDs. We are closing the net on those who are perpetrating the crime and trying to eradicate it from Swindon.”
He added: “This prosecution was part of a two-month operation involving police and businesses who passed on intelligence to us. This man received the near maximum sentence for this offence, which goes to show how serious the magistrates viewed this case.”
However, the owner of a Swindon adult shop suggested the council itself was partly to blame for the problem, saying its refusal to grant licences was making the matter worse.
“There are so many pirated films infiltrating Swindon,” said the shop owner. “The town is rife with it and it’s a growing problem. It’s crippling businesses and my takings are down by 25 per cent this year. When you don’t have a licence to sell hardcore material there is a market for these people in Swindon.”
