A luxury car is towed away as New Zealand police raid the mansion of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom.
His bubble may have burst but this is part of a much wider crackdown by the U.S. government on film and music piracy.
Kim Dotcom, a German national with New Zealand residency, and several suspected cohorts appeared in court charged with with massive copyright infringement.
According to the U.S. indictment Megaupload.com boasted more than 50 million daily visitors a day.
The sites included video, music and pornography.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWYER RICK SHERA:
"This particular type of action around internet copyright infringement is a first for New Zealand in terms of an overseas person attempted to be extradited across to the United States."
Critics of the Stop Online Piracy Act showed their opposition to the shutdown of Megaupload, with hackers attacking the websites of the Justice Department, Universal Music, and the two big trade groups that represent the music and film industries.
Lily Grimes, Reuters
