A 15-year-old computer whiz kid from Morecambe has been questioned following a raid on his home by an anti-piracy unit.

The raid, organised jointly by Lancashire Trading Standards and Morecambe Police, is the latest anti-piracy unit's crackdown on internet-related music counterfeiting and they were pursuing a mail order subscription website which was offering counterfeit music CDs for sale.

The 16-year-old student was questioned and his parents informed after a library containing 1,000 master discs were discovered at the house.

The discs formed the repertoire of material available for making counterfeit copies of music CDs.

Two computers were confiscated and will be forensically examined.

It is also thought the boy's school e-mail system was being used to assist with selling counterfeit goods.

The local youth could face charges under various trades and patents acts.

Nick Kounoupias of the anti-piracy unit said: "Copying in the home then using internet sites and e-mail systems to sell the illegal product is very common.

Anyone who makes and sells counterfeit product must therefore be aware of its illegality and their ability to prosecution.

"It is sad that this young man is facing a criminal record but he was running a substantial counterfeiting operation and counterfeiting is theft.

It damages the local economy and threatens local jobs.

He added: "Schools and colleges must also take care not to allow their systems to be used to support this kind of illegal activity and so risk facing prosecuting themselves."