BPI and PIPCU complete UK's largest seizure of counterfeit vinyl records ever, worth £2.7m

Read the full article in The Guardian here.

BPI and PIPCU just secured a 3 year 6 month sentence following the UK’s largest seizure of counterfeit vinyl records.

The perpetrator generated £2.7 million from the sale of counterfeit vinyl between 2017 and 2024, operating an industrial scale unlicensed manufacturing plant in Acton under the name Phoenix of Vinyl.

The operation was uncovered following a referral from the BPI to the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit at the City of London Police. Officers seized 2,791 counterfeit records, four vinyl presses, 3,000 metal stampers and thousands of sleeves and centre labels, with 18 tonnes of evidence recovered in total.

Record labels confirmed that the seized titles infringed copyright, with the operation using the copyright of 108 artists.

The conviction marks a significant step in tackling the growing threat of counterfeit vinyl and protecting artists, rights holders and the legitimate music industry.