Berlin  - German customs agents have seized five vanloads of products from dozens of booths at the IFA consumer-electronics fair in Berlin, in an apparent anti-piracy operation, customs authorities announced on Saturday.

Norbert Scheithauer, a spokesman for Berlin-area customs investigators, said the electrical devices included 170 television sets, 140 MP3 players and 43 car radios that were being exhibited by manufacturers as well as large quantities of brochures.

The raids by 187 agents and 27 police took place Friday, the opening day of Europe's biggest expo for new electrical products.

The raid appears to have been aimed largely at devices that used illegally copied software to improve picture and sound quality.

IFA, which continues until Wednesday, is a showcase for high-tech consumer electronics, from about 1,250 manufacturers of televisions, personal entertainment devices, satellite navigation receivers and home appliances. (dpa)