Nintendo thanks PSNI after conviction of ‘R4 card’ seller

Ciaran Fox, a 34-year-old from Craigavon in Co Armagh, was convicted of importing, possessing and selling devices known as ‘R4 cards’.

Police say these devices allow “technological measures” found on the handheld Nintendo DS games console to be bypassed, meaning hundreds of computer games worth “upwards of £6,000” can be loaded onto a single micro SD card and played using the console.

This, the PSNI said, leads to “a substantial loss of revenue for Nintendo”.

Mr Fox, of Larkfield Meadows, was sentenced on Tuesday to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Detective Lyness, from the PSNI’s cyber support unit, said: “This investigation was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and I welcome today’s sentencing.

“Organisations such as Nintendo Europe depend on their intellectual property and this type of theft impacts on the livelihoods of those working in the gaming and technology industries.

“Mr Fox sold thousands of these R4 cards across Europe under a number of pseudonyms over a nine year period, denying knowledge that selling such devices was illegal.”

The PSNI detective added: “I would like to reiterate that this type of activity is illegal and carries serious consequences including a criminal record and potential custodial sentence. I would appeal to anyone with information on this type of activity to contact detectives in PSNI’s Cyber Support Unit by calling 101 or alternatively you can speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

A spokesperson for Nintendo said the company would “continue to support criminal investigations” in order to protect against piracy.

“Nintendo would like to thank PSNI for its efforts in investigating this matter,” the spokesperson said.

“To protect against piracy of its games, as well as those developed and published by third parties, Nintendo will continue to support criminal investigations against sellers of circumvention devices or modding services.”