IPO wins BPI award

If the press release from the United Kingdom's Intellectual Property Office is a trifle self-congratulatory in its tone, don't mock -- it looks as though the IPO has truly done something to earn its praise.

Right: the IPKat confers his own award in addition to that of the BPI

The press release reads as follows:

"Intellectual Property Office Intelligence Hub scoops BPI Award for their continued efforts to combat music piracy

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) Intelligence Hub has been given a BPI [The press release assumes everyone knows what BPI is: it's the British Recorded Music Industry, here] award in recognition of their continued efforts to combat music piracy.

The award acknowledges the Hub’s professionalism and dedication in the investigation of organised criminal groups who are involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of counterfeit music.

This year alone the Hub has assisted in over 130 investigations, often identifying the main offender, which has allowed the BPI and Enforcement agencies to achieve successful investigations.

The Hub is an important part of the Intellectual Property Office’s efforts to assist and co-ordinate the UK’s response to IP crime. Initiatives like the IP Crime Group and their work to raise awareness and understanding all compliment this. The 2009 Annual IP Crime Report (1.83Mb) highlights the great progress industry, enforcement agencies and government are making by working together. ...

David Wood, Director of Anti Piracy at the BPI said:

"The IPO Intelligence Hub is a key partner in our fight to protect our members’ rights and I wish to acknowledge their professionalism and dedication in helping us to achieve this. With their assistance, we have been able to develop over 130 criminal investigations into a number of individuals and groups causing significant harm to our industry.

"As a result we have already seen a number of arrests ranging from those behind two release groups and a major bit torrent indexing site to organised crime gangs who were operating in the north west of England."

Says the IPKat, congratulations! Now can we have a few more details, so that other organisations and IP owners can benefit from BPI's positive experiences? Contact details would also be useful and this weblog will be delighted to publicise them.

Merpel says, there's no prize on offer here -- but I'd love to know what's the smallest number of clicks which will take a first-tim visitor to the IPO's website here to the page that deals with the Hub, since I got very muddled and never quite found it; is it the same as the UK IP Crime Group, which she did find on the IPO's website but which doesn't mention the Intelligence Hub.

Tufty says, at the time of posting this item, I couldn't find anything about the award on the BPI website: I'd like to know who else, if anyone, got one and who else was in the running.