By Gary McNair - bio|email
Did you see the story last week about the bootlegged DVDs our reporters found in Wilmington? Some of the movies they found are still playing in the theaters. One of them, Avatar, was up for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
I know this type of illegal activity has been a problem for a long time. But what is really amazing is how blatantly the law is being broken here. In a couple of stores, our crews found them on display right out in the open. Why? It's simple - the store owners know they can get away with it. It appears there are not enough law enforcement officers devoted to this issue. The state has a division dedicated to dealing with the bootlegging of counterfeit goods. But they only have two officers to cover the entire state – and they are dealing with everything from handbags to DVDs.
So the next time you go to the movies and grumble about the ticket price, don't blame the theater, or the movie studios, or even the multimillion dollar actors. Instead, blame the bootleggers, the stores that sell the illegal DVDs, and the law enforcement system which doesn't seem to be dealing with it.
That's my turn. Now it's your turn. To comment on this segment, or anything else, email me at yourturn@wect.com.
