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Ministry Says Internet Reduces Pirating

The Internet has cut the share of pirated audio and video products to between 15 percent and 20 percent of the total market, a spokesman for of the main economic security department of the Interior Ministry said Thursday.

"Counterfeiters are winding down their activities because it is no longer lucrative. Presumably, the demand for counterfeit discs will drop another 20 percent to 30 percent within several years," he said.

In addition, pirated software use is down to 80 percent, which is 7 percent less than in the past. Only 60 percent of Microsoft products in use are pirated.

Counterfeit branded clothing accounts for 37 percent of all sales, while the share of counterfeit cosmetics, perfume, other clothes, household chemicals and foods is 15 percent to 30 percent, he said.

Most of the counterfeit products come to Russia from Southeast Asia — China, Singapore, India and other countries — as well as Bulgaria, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine, the spokesman said.

"Counterfeit manufacturing in Russia is insignificant," he said.

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