A $1.2 million television advertising campaign showing people how buying pirated CDs puts money into the pockets of criminals was screened for the first time last night.
The Government-funded advert shows criminals thanking SAR people as they spend money in saunas and mahjong houses or re-invest takings in criminal activities.
The advert is part of a campaign aimed at changing the widely held public belief that there is nothing wrong with buying pirate CDs and VCDs.
The Chinese-language advert will be followed by an English version later this month, Director of Intellectual Property Stephen Selby said.
The campaign, with the slogan, 'Keep away from pirated goods. Don't finance crime', will run in both print and broadcast media.
The 30-second production shows triads in a sauna, a middle-aged woman in a mahjong parlour, men at a street party, and a man standing beside a speedboat all saying 'thank you' to the public.