Raid uncovers music, movie, porn copy operation

Pembina Highway building base of piracy op, say cops. MARCEL CRETAIN/SUN MEDIA

A company music industry insiders are calling the "Big Kahuna" of Canadian pirating operations went offline yesterday following an RCMP bust at its Winnipeg-based headquarters.

Officers raided the Pembina Highway offices of Audiomaxxx.com two days ago as part of Project DVD and left with nearly 100,000 ready-to-ship music, movies and pornos allegedly pirated by company owner Raj Ramgotra and just as many blank discs ready to be produced.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Line Karpish said investigators also seized three computers and five burning towers capable of producing upwards of 11,500 units per day if operating on 12-hour intervals, along with two high-end labelling machines, shipping materials and video surveillance equipment.

Graham Henderson, president of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, said the operation is the largest he's seen in his 10 years in the music industry.

"This is the Big Kahuna," said Henderson, whose organization helped investigate Audiomaxx, which RCMP say sent counterfeit product to thousands of international buyers every week.

"Anytime you shut down something as big as this, it has an impact."

'KING RAJ'

Audiomaxxx made its name selling reggae and house-mix CDs and a large catalogue of porn flicks for between US$3 and $6 a pop.

According to domain ownership records, the site was registered to Ramgotra, known as "King Raj" to customers, in 2000.

Sources say Ramgotra was one of four people arrested during the raid and now faces numerous charges.

Karpish confirmed a 31-year-old man faces charges and was released on a promise to appear, while three others were released pending further investigation.

Devin Latimer, bassist for Winnipeg-based and Juno-nominated alt-country act Nathan, said artists are always happy to see companies suspected of stealing copyrighted music taken down because of the way they've changed the industry.

"It's surprising that these kind of things are in your neighbourhood, but it could be anywhere," he said. "It could have just as easily been some northern mining town. That's technology."

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OFF THE RACK

According to Audiomaxxx.com charts, these XXX-rated DVDs were some of the the Winnipeg-based company's top-sellers:

- Big Black Racks 3

- Dancehall Reggae Skinout 10

- Heavyweight Honeys

- Big League Booty 3

- Wild and Crazy Girls in Jamaica 2

- 8th Street Latinas 4

- Ooowee 3

- Arab Street Hookers

- Double Bubble White Booty 2

- Ghetto Booty 28