The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Sudbury detachment, have charged a Chelmsford man with possession and distribution of illegal radio communication equipment.
The RCMP seized a briefcase containing multiple access cards valued at approximately $5,000, along with supporting evidence of distribution.
Jean Lafreniere has been charged with eight counts of possession and distribution of access cards for Direct TV and Bell ExpressVu systems.
Lafreniere is scheduled to make his first court appearance April 7.
?The piracy and distribution of illegal satellite systems cost Canadian businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars on a daily basis,? said Cpl. Alain Bonhomme, in a press release.
?Legal distributors who must spend thousands of dollars on licensing and equipment are at a distinct disadvantage when they try to compete with illegal distributors.
?These illegal distributors also have the advantage of avoiding paying any taxes on their illegally gotten revenue. In order to protect legal distributing businesses, the RCMP have been mandated to investigate complaints under the CRTC, executing seizures, arrests and subsequent charges when the evidence warrants it.?
