Carrying a search warrant, Seripisut and Lt-Colonel Visut Vanichbutr of the economic and cyber-crime division led simultaneous raids at 7am on three houses.

In Tambon Wat Chalor, four suspects were arrested at the first location along with CD burners and 60,000 counterfeit CDs, while three more suspects were nabbed along with CD burners and 80,000 fake CDs at the second house.

In Tambon Bang Kruay, another four suspects were apprehended and a printing machine and some 100,000 counterfeit CD covers were seized.

The seized counterfeit CDs included music records and movies from Thai and foreign companies and a number of pornographic films.

Seripisut said the arrests - a crackdown on the biggest CD piracy network - were part of police policy to eradicate counterfeit CDs and pornographic media in Thailand. He gave importance to the issue following patent-breaching complaints filed by Thai artists and producers.

Police would extend the arrests to other network members, as none of those arrested had admitted to owning the three houses, saying they were just employees, he said. Producing and distributing counterfeit CDs is punishable by two years in jail and/or up to a Bt400,000 fine.

Deputy Prime Minister and Social Development and Human Security Minister Paiboon Wattanasiritham, who also joined the raids, said counterfeit CDs posed a serious social problem as they could damage the economy and hurt business operators, while pornographic media caused problems among youths. Later yesterday at a meeting on safe media, he urged city officials to join forces in curbing pornographic media at eight areas in Greater Bangkok including Pantip Plaza, Silom, Khlong Thom, Ban Mor, Sear Rangsit Shopping Mall, Future Park Rangsit, Tawanna and Saphan Phut Night Market.