'Potter pirates' charged in Chile

The official Spanish version is not due out until the end of the year

Police in Chile have charged two men in connection with the sale of illegal translations of the latest Harry Potter novel, BBC Radio 4's Today programme reported.

Unauthorised copies of the Order of the Phoenix - said to be a bad translation - have been selling on the country's streets for weeks, the programme reported.

JK Rowling's novel - the fifth in the series - was released in June, and immediately smashed sales records around the world.

But it was only available in English, resulting in numerous unofficial translations springing up on streets and on the internet.

The official Spanish version of the book is not due out until the end of the year.

Not only is it illegal, not only is it a pirate copy, it's a really bad translation Eduardo Castillo Chilean Book Chamber

Last week, the president of the Chilean Book Chamber business group urged people not to buy the book, which has been selling for about $15 (£9.30).

"Not only is it illegal, not only is it a pirate copy, it's a really bad translation," said Eduardo Castillo.

Mr Castillo said that the illegal copies threatened the livelihoods of the country's legitimate booksellers.

Unauthorised versions of the book have been on sale in countries like Pakistan months before the official release.

And fans in countries from China to Germany have put their own translations on the internet.