A SHOPKEEPER who was caught selling counterfeit DVDs in his store has been ordered to hand over £67,500 under proceeds of crime laws.
Satnam Panesar was caught selling the discs at his shop, Panesar Stores, in Lambhill, Glasgow, after the Federation Against Copyright Theft ( FACT) received a tip-off.
FACT officers visited the store twice and purchased a selection of fake DVDs before the premises were raided.
The 41-year-old's home address in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire, was also searched and a large quantity of counterfeit DVDs – with a street value of £7500 – were seized.
Panesar pled guilty to the charge at Glasgow Sheriff Court last year and a confiscation order was granted at the court yesterday.
Lindsey Miller, head of the Serious and Organised Crime Division, said: "Satnam Panesar was making thousands of pounds by selling counterfeit DVDs from his shop in Glasgow.
"He pled guilty to infringing the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act and also opened himself up to the powers of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
"When our financial investigators looked at his income over the six years preceding his arrest for this crime, they found £67,500 could not be accounted for legitimately."
Miss Miller added that a confiscation order for £20,386.82 had also been made against a benefits fraudster who cheated the public purse out of thousands of pounds despite owning a string of businesses.
Baljinder Atwal, 51, of Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was ordered to pay back more than £20,000 after it emerged he ran a sports complex, a restaurant and owned a number of properties.
He previously pled guilty to fraudulently claiming income support and council tax benefit between 2002 and 2006.
Miss Miller said: "Benefit fraud is seen by some as an easy way to make money, but it is simply stealing from the public purse.
"Baljinder Atwal owned property, was running companies and had access to substantial bank accounts and turnover.
"This crime was simply motivated by greed.
"The order represents the full benefit he gained from this crime over the four years."
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