CONSUMER chiefs have warned they will continue to crack down on people who make counterfeit compact discs.

The warnings follow a prosecution by Durham County Council's consumer services, in which a man was jailed for eight months.

A raid by trading standards officers and police at a house in Peterlee, County Durham, uncovered a counterfeit discs operation.

Philip Holman, head of consumer services, said: "Boxes of counterfeit audio CDs were found ready for collection by distributors working around the North-East.

"Counterfeit CDs had been produced with two personal computers, and investigations of the accounts suggested a turnover approaching £30,000, in 12 months.

"The level of sentence given by the court shows the magistrates believed this is not a victimless crime, and we will continue to pursue people who deal in these illegal products.

"These people seriously undermine bona fide traders who try to make a living selling the genuine article."

Music fans are being advised to be wary about where they buy their discs.