In yet another landmark enforcement action against vendors, distributors and users of illegal, unlicensed software in Kuwait, the country's Ministry of Information has raided a well-known reseller and confiscated over 38,000 compact disks loaded with counterfeit software.
"Kuwait's authorities have been highly active in pursuing vendors of counterfeit software, and this action merely re-emphasises the message that should already have been received loud and clear by vendors of illegal software.
This haul is significant because of its sheer size: if you gave each CD a nominal value of 10 KD ($25), we'd be looking at a retail value of just under a million dollars' worth of software," said Jawad Al Redha, regional director of the BSA (Business Software Alliance). The vendor, based in Hawalli's Wala'a Complex, is known locally to have been a leader in the distribution of counterfeit software.
The complex itself, located in Bin Khaldoon Street, is at the centre of an area of small computer shops which have previously seen extensive enforcement action from the Ministry of Information and Kuwaiti police.
In November 2000, eight stores were raided in a single 3-hour action by authorities that caused pandemonium among the many resellers in the area.
"I think that the message being sent by the Kuwaiti authorities is clear enough for anyone to understand, I don't think there can be any misconceptions here".
Counterfeit software is no longer a business with a future in Kuwait, it is a business that carries huge risk. In Kuwait it is illegal to duplicate, distribute, sell or use unlicensed software and anybody doing so faces the full weight of the law," said Al Redha. The BSA has long worked with the Kuwaiti government to help in building an environment where the information technology sector can grow and develop into a national resource.
One of the most vital keystones necessary to this is the protection of intellectual property, including software and Internet content.
This allows local and international developers to benefit from their work in creating new software tools from games through to business applications, drives new quality and service capability in the IT vendor channel and helps to build end-user skill sets through the application of appropriate technology in businesses.
"Kuwait is taking a leadership role in the region through its determination to follow this path to the creation of a viable and professional IT sector, and the Ministry of Information is working in a highly effective manner in order to ensure that the laws on intellectual property that the state has passed in order to achieve its aims are being enforced," said Al Redha.
From: www.ameinfo.com