Omani authorities seize pirated software in inspection of four resellers in Oman

The latest inspection, conducted in coordination with Business Software Alliance (BSA), led to the seizures of four PCs uploaded with pirated software.

"The recent inspections by the Oman Ministry of Heritage and Culture will serve as yet another warning to software pirates that the Government is serious about protecting the interests of software manufacturers who spend millions of dollars in developing original software programmes," said Scott Butler, CEO of Arabian Antipiracy Alliance (AAA). "It is a serious crime to use the software illegally. Resellers uploading un-licensed software misguide the end-user into believing that unlicensed software can deliver as good a performance as original software. This is the worst kind of business practice, as the reseller is knowingly selling inferior quality software to buyers. The Copyright Law has put the issue in the right perspective and given authorities the much-needed muscle to deal severely with offenders."

"The inspections in Oman, along with several others being conducted by different governments in the Gulf, indicate that the region is moving towards an environment where it is becoming safe and profitable for global software players to invest and do business on a long-term basis," added Butler. "Respect of intellectual property is one of the cornerstones of the modern economy, and this is being conveyed to the people and the industry by governments prescribing stiff penalties for violators of the Copyright Law. We firmly believe that sustained pressure through surprise inspections of resellers' premises and computer companies will go a long way in creating a safer environment for global and regional software players."

"We appreciate the efforts of the Omani Ministry of Heritage and Culture in conducting this inspection that has exposed resellers who are blatantly flouting anti-piracy laws by using unlicensed software for uploading new PCs," said Butler. "We look forward to collaborating with the Omani authorities in carrying out similar campaigns in the future to keep pirates on the run."