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Penalties for piracy
The Copyright Act, Trade Marks Act and other legislation provide severe penalties for dealing in pirate music that infringe the rights of artists, composers, record companies and music publishers.
Criminal or civil penalties apply.
Penalties range from injunctions, damages and costs through to fines of up to $60,500 for individuals and up to $302,500 for corporations for each infringement and/or up to 5 years imprisonment. The police can also issue an on-the-spot fine of $1320 and seize pirate music and devices, including computers and servers used in the commission of the crime.
Directors of corporations may also be subject to such penalties.
Furthermore, pirate sound recordings and devices used in their creation (eg. computers, CD burners) can be subject to orders for destruction.
For more information about specific penalties for copyright infringement, click here.
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