BELFAST, Northern Ireland – Seven raids on adult shops in Belfast by Irish authorities over the last two years have heeded over 4,000 illegal DVDs. The titles were either unclassified or restricted.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, none of the sex shops have been closed down. However, the raids have resulted in five prosecutions.
The Video Recordings Act, passed in 1984, mandates that all video titles for sale must be stamped with a proper classification. Businesses that sell R18 titles must carry a license to do so.
There is only one adult shop in Northern Ireland that has a permit to sell hardcore titles.
Earlier this year, local council granted a license to David Christie, owner of CBC Distribution, which is now Ireland's only distributor of adult products for sex shops. Some residents thought that the license would cause a proliferation of adult shops, but local councils remain reluctant to award permits to adult-oriented businesses.
Belfast Mayor Jim Rodgers told the Belfast Telegraph that it is very possible that more adult shops could soon be licensed by the local authorities. “There are obviously areas of the city that we would not have many problems with because they are out of the way. The main concern is about these shops being in inappropriate areas such as family shopping areas. Also, [minors] are not permitted in these shops but they do go in and we need to look at how that can be regulated.”
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