Police swoop to close down illegal music download website OiNK

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Police swoop to close down illegal music download website OiNK
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Police arrest an IT worker in Middlesbrough following morning raids
POLICE in the region have closed down one of the world's biggest illegal music file sharing websites.

The site is understood to have been operating from a flat in Middlesbrough.

Up to 180,000 people were members of OiNK, a private website that allowed users to share music.

Police said members paid to use the site but members claimed the service was free.


Instead of paying a fee members were invited to make a donation to help with the running of the service. It is not known how many actually did.


The home of a 24-year-old IT worker was raided in Grange Road, Middlesbrough, in a low-key operation this morning.

At the same time his father's home and his employer, a large multi-national company, were also raided.

The website's server, which was based in Amsterdam, was also closed down by Dutch police.

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The 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and infringement of copyright law.

Detective Sergeant Tony Keogh, who led this morning's operation, said the three-month investigation had involved Interpol, the Dutch authorities and the British Phonographic Industry.

He said: "This is an infringement of copyright law that in financial terms causes immeasurable lost to record companies.

"We have been working closely with Interpol and our Dutch colleagues in Amsterdam where the website server is based to ensure that it too was secured at the time of arrest."

Users of the site criticised the raids as heavy handed and said one success would not prevent more file sharing sites springing up in future.

[scottish]

I just dont get it. If I buy a cd. and share it via the net, I dont think they should be able to say shit.

[Scrilla]

That fuckin sucks I hope the site I use doesn't get canned.

[scottish]

I was watching the news the other day. A lady was convicted of downloading music. She was fined $220,000 . It came out to over $9,000 a song. and that doesnt include the lawyers fees. It could well reach over a million clams.

[rrush06]

Originally Posted by scottish

I just dont get it. If I buy a cd. and share it via the net, I dont think they should be able to say shit.

Well the reason why they do say shit is because even if YOU bought the cd, all of the people you are sharing it with did not buy it. And that takes away from the profits of the artists and the industry all together, because if people weren't able to get music online they would probably spend a lot more money buying cds. So really they do have a right to say something. But even that being said I'm right with ya.. they have enough money as it is.

[beck26]

there will always be ways to get free music they've been trying to shut that down for awhile now.

[scottish]

I see what your saying Rush. But once I paid for it its mine. How can they tell me what I can and cant do with it? That just doesnt make sense to me.

[Stewie]

why dont popos leave us alone!!

[Claude_Rains]

Originally Posted by scottish

I see what your saying Rush. But once I paid for it its mine. How can they tell me what I can and cant do with it? That just doesnt make sense to me.

The answer to that is at least legally that you're, in essence, republishing the CD without permission of the copyright holder. It's like reprinting a book and then selling it.
I remember that when CDs came out, they were saying that since they were much cheaper to produce than vinyl, the prices would drop.
Yeah, right!

Later,

CR

[scottish]

I guess that makes sense. But If your not selling it. would it be the same thing?