The British Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will receive £5 million and more powers to help in the fight against piracy.

DTI minister, Malcolm Wicks, told the Intellectual Property Crime Group in London that Trading Standards officers will get more powers to bring into force Section 107a of the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, which gives officers the power to make secret purchases, raid premises and, seize goods and documents.

The strategy will be part of a larger ongoing strategy from customs, benefit fraud teams, the police, Trading Standards, and industry investigators.

The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association has supported the announcement the move. ELSPA's director general, Paul Jackson, said, "The fight against IP theft remains a massive problem for not only the games business but film, music, and branded goods".

Malcolm Wicks added, "From April 6, there'll be an additional 4500 pairs of Trading Standards eyes watching counterfeiters and pirates. This will mean more surprise raids at markets and car boot sales, more intelligence, more prosecutions and more criminals locked up".

>> Link - Official Site/Department of Trade and Industry
>> Link - Official Site/ELSPA