Thirteen people were arrested in Manhattan yesterday in a raid on two movie priacy rings in what the FBI is calling an "international conspiracy" — and before they could produce knock-offs of Superman Returns. The rings are "believed to be responsible for nearly half of all illegal recordings in the United States."

Via Metro:

After a three-year investigation dubbed "Operation Knock-Off," 13 people were arrested yesterday in raids in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, including one defendant who tried to record "Superman Returns" surreptitiously at a New York theater during the first day of its release. "The subjects arrested are top echelon players in the theft, production and worldwide distribution of millions of counterfeit DVDs of first-run movies," said Mark Mershon, assistant director of the FBI's New York office.

Blockbuster Bust [Metro]