Mod chip cracker crack down starts

US Federal customs agents have raided 30 businesses and homes hunting for mod chips which allow pirated games play on Sony's PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360, and Nintendo's Wii.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement say that the illegal chips and other devices used on gaming consoles violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

In a press release, the Julie Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security said the devices were created wit the sole purpose of subverting copyright protections.

She also claimed that these crimes cost legitimate businesses billions of dollars annually and facilitate multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering.

Apparently the investigators have been looking at the targets for about a year.

More here. µ