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SINGAPORE : Police arrested 31 people suspected of being part of a pirated optical disc syndicate in a 23-hour island-wide operation on Tuesday.

The 24 men and seven women, aged between 22 and 58 years, were found at several locations, including a private residence in the Thomson area, believed to be the "burning lab" where the digital video discs were burnt.

Among the items seized were over 26,000 digital video discs believed to contain pirated movies and obscene films, colour printers, high-speed DVD-R burners, scanners, computers, a television and cash of S$1,900.

Preliminary police investigations showed that the syndicate used street peddlers to sell the pirated discs at various entertainment outlets and industrial estates island-wide.

Those found guilty of making infringing copies intended for sale may be fined up to S$10,000 for each article up to a maximum of S$100,000, or imprisoned for up to five years, or both. - CNA/ms