Malaysian-made pirated DVDs have been found as far away as South Africa, with some 9,000 discs seized there last week proving the extent of the illicit trade.

The discs, worth US$89,000 dollars, were detected at Johannesburg International Airport after arriving on a commercial flight, the New Straits Times said.

"We are waiting for the report from our counterparts in South Africa. As soon as we determine which factory manufactured the DVDs, we will raid the establishment," a senior trade ministry official told the daily.

Malaysia, like many Asian countries, is awash in pirated DVDs, with the latest releases sold openly in shopping malls and market stalls for just a few dollars.

Some 350,000 discs destined for overseas markets were seized in the first three months of this year alone, authorities have said.