Market traders selling counterfeit CDs and DVDs were shut down by a joint operation between police and trading standards last Saturday.

The Watford Observer was invited to attend Operation Conclave, which would target two stalls in Bovingdon Market selling the illegally copied music and films.

The market was unusually quiet owing to bad weather, and the police were anxious to get moving before their target stalls packed up and went home.

Back up stalls had also been noted in case the main targets had already left.

By the time uniformed police arrived one stall had already been closed down by undercover officers from the police and trading standards.

CDs and DVDs were bagged up in clear plastic sacks and taken away.

The front of the CD case had been printed on ordinary plain paper and the disc itself had no label.

PC Nick Pringle said: “These will be taken away by trading standards who will take a sample and make a statement as to whether they are counterfeit or not.”

“It's obvious to me and you that they are, but they also check for things like “Dolby” printed on the box because then they're also breaching copyright.”

One of the back up stalls was left empty when traders noticed the police presence.

Two tables packed with two and three CD compilations were again packed away into the clear sacks.

A sign stated that the stall was selling the CDs for £3 each or 3 for £10, considerably cheaper than on the high street.

PC Pringle added: “Organised gangs will make the CDs and DVDs and then distribute them to smaller sellers who will sell them on at a marked up price, in the same way that drugs are produced and distributed.”

For more information about counterfeit music and films visit http://www.fact-uk.org.uk/.