Toronto- November 15, 2005 - The Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) joined with the US-based Entertainment Software Association in applauding the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for its work in bringing a Toronto-area pirate of entertainment software to justice. On October 31, 2005, Fun Desk Video Games Inc. entered a guilty plea in court and received a $67,000 ($56,300 USD) fine for dealing in counterfeit video games and modification devices.

"We are grateful for the work of the RCMP in bringing this defendant to justice," said Danielle LaBossiere, executive director of ESAC, the trade association representing Canadian publishers and distributors of computer and video games. "Game software piracy in Canada is a serious problem that costs the entertainment software industry millions of dollars per year. It harms all those who develop, distribute, and sell legitimate game products. Our anti-piracy program will continue to support the RCMP’s targeting of any importer, distributor, or retailer that traffics in pirated entertainment software products."

Fun Desk Video Games Inc. was charged after the RCMP executed a search warrant at the Fun Desk Video Games Inc. at the Pacific Mall in Markham, Ontario on April 27, 2005. During the raid, the RCMP seized approximately 4000 counterfeit PlayStation optical disks consisting of nearly 1400 different titles. In addition, investigators confiscated counterfeit Nintendo multi-game cartridges, PlayStation modification chips and modified game consoles, financial records, and approximately $34,000 in cash. The value of the goods taken represented a total potential loss of $250,000 for legitimate video game manufacturers, publishers, and retailers.

"The theft of intellectual property is a serious crime which negatively impacts legitimate businesses by unfair competition," said Constable Judy Laurence of the RCMP Federal Enforcement Section. "The reason the RCMP undertook this initiative is two-fold. It sends a message to counterfeiters that their actions will not be tolerated; it also gives legitimate business owners a chance to sell their products without the unfair competition which is generated from the sale of the illegal products."