In its former studies, the BSA already called attention to the connections between the trading of illegal software and international organised crime. The reports warned that illegal software trading arranged most of all via the Internet has become one of the "engines" of the black economy and money laundering in recent years. There are a number of signs that refer to this also in the case cleared up at this time.

"There is of course a danger that the so called black economy will gain from the current financial and economic crisis", says Georg Herrnleben, BSA Director for CEE and MEA. "The crisis could tempt businesses and consumers to obtain counterfeit products or using software without having the licence for. As a result the Hungarian economy would even more suffer from an increasing black economy. Thus, according to the BSA, firm actions on the part of anti-crime organs in revealing illegal and tax-evading activities are important also with respect to tackling the economic crisis."

On an annual basis, illegal traders cause damage to the economy equalling approximately HUF 100 billion in uncollected tax revenues and the non-payment of contributions payable after legal positions.

About BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the foremost organisation dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world. BSA is the voice of the world's commercial software industry and its hardware partners before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members represent one of the fastest growing industries in the world. BSA programmes foster technology innovation through education and policy initiatives that promote copyright protection, cyber security, trade and e-commerce. BSA members include: Adobe, Altium, Apple, Autodesk, Bentley Systems, CNC, Corel, CyberLink, Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation, Embarcadero, Famatech, Graphisoft, Microsoft, Mindjet, Quark, Siemens, Symantec, Tekla and The MathWorks.