An investigation by the Hull and East Riding Daily Mail revealed that the city's Walton Street Market was being targeted by gangs of thugs and racketeers.
According to the paper, dozens of stalls were caught selling counterfeit DVDs and CDs, with profits believed to be funding organised crime.

The BBC has launched launching its News Sponsorship Scheme for 2005. The scheme, now in its fifth year, awards 15 students on Broadcast Journalism Training Council accredited courses, full funding for postgraduate diplomas in broadcast journalism, plus bursaries to help with living expenses during their course.
Each student is also allocated a senior BBC journalist as a mentor, and is offered up to five weeks paid work experience and training in an area of network news. The closing date for applications is Friday May 13. For further details go to www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/nss.

Defence minister Adam Ingram has vowed to "leave well alone" the insignia of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Army regiment in the clearest indication yet that the Gloucester Citizen campaign to keep the historic back badge will succeed,
The regiment, which is set to be amalgamated with the Devon and Dorset Regiment, was in danger of losing its distinctive badge.

The Sunday Herald and Amnesty International are teaming up to run a competition for Refugee Week, aimed at student journalists in Scotland.
The competition is seeking the best article on the theme of 'asylum and persecution' written by a student in Scotland. Entries of 1500-2000 words are invited. The winning piece will be published in the Sunday Herald at the beginning of Refugee Week 2005 (20-26 June) and the winner invited to the paper to see their work progress into print. The application form can be downloaded here, or call 0131 466 6200 for more details.

More than 2,000 Essex people have signed up to be organ donors since the launch of the Chronicle's Be Remembered for Life appeal.
Its aim is to boost the county's organ donors in tribute to the life of 23-year-old donor Clare Ekins, who died in a road accident earlier this year.

Evening Express editor Donald Martin has handed over the reins of his paper to five-year-old Chloe Genus – but only for a day.
The youngster, featured in the Aberdeen's Champion campaign last year, has undergone a series of operations on her heart and brain, and said after her spell as editor: "I've had a really super day."