Copyright pirates are not usually seen in the same light as the eye-patch wearing, peg-legged high seas variety, but in Malaysia they are just as dangerous and lawmen hunting them need to be armed, officials say.

"It's like a war facing these 'tontos'(thugs). What is at stake is hundreds of millions if not billions of ringgit," Domestic Trade Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told local media today.

"The syndicates are becoming more aggressive. The situation is alarming and has reached a critical stage," he said, announcing that enforcement officers from his ministry will be trained by police to handle firearms to defend themselves.

"Our officers on the ground are outnumbered by thugs employed by the piracy syndicates."