by Will Davies A Tory politician has unveiled radical proposals to tackle the growing problem of illegal DVD sellers on the high road. In February the Times reported how Chinese gangs selling illegal DVDs are flooding Kilburn High Road, h
by Will Davies
A Tory politician has unveiled radical proposals to tackle the growing problem of illegal DVD sellers on the high road.
In February the Times reported how Chinese gangs selling illegal DVDs are flooding Kilburn High Road, hitting traders' profits and draining police resources.
The immigrants, who pay organised criminals huge sums of money to be smuggled into the UK are a regular feature in Kilburn, where they lay out their counterfeit films on the pavement.
Police say it is extremely difficult to get rid of them.
Arresting them only creates a vacuum which is quickly filled, and it is impossible to deport the traders as many destroy their passports on arrival in the UK.
Now Chris Philp, Conservative candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, is urging police and magistrates to consider a more practical approach to tackle the problem.
He told the Times: "They should pay for stealing trade from legitimate businesses, spoiling the High Road's environment and creating an unsafe atmosphere.
"This will be a way of making sure that the High Road benefits when these people are caught."
Read the full report in this Thursday's Kilburn Times.
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