GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Police in Gainesville said they've confiscated nearly 10,000 compact discs and DVDs from the Fifth Avenue Arts Festival because they're allegedly illegal bootlegs.
Some sections of the festival were cordoned off over the weekend as officers made their raids.
Felony charges are pending against 13 people, and officers estimated the value of the merchandise at about $150,000.
Investigators said it appears an organized group was behind the sales, with some vendors coming from as far away as New York and Atlanta.
Organizers of the festival are critical of how police handled the raids, saying it should have been staged as vendors were setting up instead of after things were in full swing.
Officers said they had to set up a sting operation by buying some of the unauthorized stuff before they could stage raids.
Some sections of the festival were cordoned off over the weekend as officers made their raids.
Felony charges are pending against 13 people, and officers estimated the value of the merchandise at about $150,000.
Investigators said it appears an organized group was behind the sales, with some vendors coming from as far away as New York and Atlanta.
Organizers of the festival are critical of how police handled the raids, saying it should have been staged as vendors were setting up instead of after things were in full swing.
Officers said they had to set up a sting operation by buying some of the unauthorized stuff before they could stage raids.
