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Allofmp3.com has around 300,000 songs for sale, some of which is not available through any of the 'authorised' Web stores. This includes songs by The Beatles, who have never given approval for their work to be available online. Tracks are available in a variety of formats from MP3 through to uncompressed audio CD files at prices typically between 2p and 5p.

Following years of complaints from the International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI) and copyright holders, the Moscow City Police Computer Crimes Division launched an investigation into the website. That has now been completed and the public prosecutor has until 7 March to decide whether to press ahead with charges.

The website insists that it has an agreement with the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society that allows it to sell downloads for personal use in Russia. It carries a disclaimer for songs bought by users outside Russia, saying 'we do not

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keep up with the laws of different countries and [are] not responsible for the actions of non-Russian users'.

The IFPI insists that the site is not authorised to sell music anywhere, at home nor abroad.

'We have consistently said that Allofmp3.com is not licensed to distribute our membersÕ repertoire in Russia or anywhere else,' said Igor Pozhitkov, regional director, IFPI Moscow. 'We are pleased that the police are bringing this important case to the attention of the prosecutor. We very much hope and expect that the prosecutor will proceed with this case, which involves the sale and digital distribution of copyrighted music without the consent or authorisation of the rights holders.'

Russia is the 12th largest music market in the world, worth $326mn in 2003, but the IFPI estimates that 64 per cent of all music in circulation is illegally copied. The Recording Industry Association of America recently called for the United States Trade Representative to strip Russia of certain trade privileges.

'A nation whose de facto policy permits the unchecked activity of commercial pirates should not be granted favourable treatment, and we hope that Russia will soon take steps to address a problem that has lingered for far too long,' said Neil Turkewitz, RIAA's executive vice president, international.

The IFPI has revealed that in 2004 its action resulted in the closure of 60,900 infringing websites and 477 unauthorised P2P servers and the removal of 1.6 billion illegally-available music files.