A man has been jailed for running an illegal operation producing counterfeit vinyl records. Rehan Ahmed, 40, from Southall in west London, was arrested in February 2024 after police raided his factory. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which represents record labels in the UK, had made a test purchase from Ahmed’s warehouse, Phoenix of Vinyl, in Acton, and discovered that he was selling fake records. The City of London Police described Ahmed’s operation as "long-running, highly organized and entirely unlicensed." Ahmed was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Inner London Crown Court. Using four vintage vinyl pressing machines, he copied records by famous artists such as Adele, Ariana Grande, Drake, and Beyoncé. Police seized 18 tonnes of evidence, including 3,000 metal stampers used to imprint record labels, thousands of record sleeves, and centre labels. Over seven years, Ahmed is estimated to have made over £2.7 million by selling counterfeit records of artists like The Beatles, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran. The 2,791 fake records found at his warehouse were the largest stash of counterfeit vinyl ever discovered by UK police. Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt from the City of London Police’s intellectual property crime unit (PIPCU) said Ahmed took advantage of the growing popularity of vinyl records to profit illegally. He emphasized that the police would continue to target those who harm the music industry. Peter Ratcliffe, a BPI director, called the conviction a major win and thanked the police and record labels for their efforts. He noted, however, that the financial losses to artists and the music industry from this operation could not be recovered. Vinyl records have experienced a significant revival in recent years, with fans buying collector’s editions and multiple formats to support their favorite artists. In 2025, the BPI reported that physical music sales totaled over £250 million, with vinyl revenue reaching £174.7 million—the highest level in more than three decades. While streaming provides income for artists, it is usually minimal, so selling physical records remains an essential part of their earnings. Ratcliffe warned that the rise in counterfeit records harms both the music industry and consumers, and he stressed that efforts to stop such crimes are ongoing.