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Chinese pirates flog Potter book
1.12, Thu Jul 26 2007
Bootleg copies of JK Rowling's last Harry Potter novel have already appeared on the streets of Beijing, despite efforts to foil the trade. The English-language knockoffs of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows have been selling for 40 yuan (£2.59), while a legitimate copy can set a British fan back as much as £17.99. China has promised to wipe out pirate producers who have hurt trade in the US and Europe. US copyright industry companies say bootleggers cost them $2.6 billion (£1.2 billion) in Chinese sales in 2005. The Chinese version of Rowling's latest book is due out in October. It sold 8.3 million (m) copies in its first 24 hours on sale in the US, according to industry figures. Jul 24: Potter finale breaks record |
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