Highlighting the impact of the bootleg tape trade, a ten ton road roller crushes thousands of pirate music cassettes.
It is estimated that in 1993, the music industry lost £5 million in the manufacture and illegal sale of cassettes.
The Irish Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI), the representative body for the Irish music industry, says everyone loses through counterfeiting,
The record company, the artist, legitimate traders, the local economy, the exchequer and above all the customer who buys inferior quality.
In a bid to stamp out the illegal manufacture and sale of counterfeit cassettes, the IFPI are working with An Garda Síochána and have employed a team of private investigators. To date, they have carried out 100 raids in markets around the country in an attempt to control the situation and catch offenders.
Brian Wynne of the IFPI says that while people may be tempted to snap up a bargain, they should be aware that a counterfeit tape is inferior. The sound recording quality is poor and if the tape is faulty they have no recourse.
As well as the second rate sound recording, a counterfeit cassette can be easily recognised as the inside of the inlay card is blank.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 May 1994. The reporter is Colm Connolly.
