Oxnard police arrest 3 in CD, DVD counterfeiting (Ventura County Star)

Oxnard police arrest 3 in CD, DVD counterfeiting

By From staff reports
Monday, August 17, 2009

Three people were arrested Saturday for possession of counterfeit DVDs and CDs during a sweep of illegal street vendors conducted by members of the Oxnard Police Department and city code compliance department.

More than 500 counterfeit DVDs and CDs were confiscated and investigators from the Motion Picture Association of America were notified and will assist with the investigation, according to a statement from the Oxnard Police Department.

Maria Gonzalez, 30, Ramiro Ruiz, 22, and Maria Zarate, 42, were booked into county jail for their roles in possessing the counterfeit discs, according to Sgt. John Keller and jail records.

Gonzalez was arrested for failing to disclose the origin of a recording, while Ruiz and Zarate were arrested on suspicion of possessing for sale DVDs and CDs with counterfeit U.S. patents. Gonzalez and Ruiz are being held on immigration holds, while Zarate remained in custody in lieu of $10,000 bail, according to a clerk at the jail.

The sweep, which was the second this year, took place throughout Oxnard on Sunday afternoon. It resulted in investigators issuing nine citations to people for failing to have business licenses and health permits. Six of the citations were issued to car wash vendors, while three were given to food vendors. An inspector from the Ventura County Environmental Health Department also issued three warnings to people regarding unhealthful business practices.

Four citations also were issued to car wash vendors for violating an Oxnard ordinance that requires car wash vendors to have a system in place to collect wastewater so it doesn’t drain into the sewer system. Two car wash vendors were also issued citations for driving without a license.