Plain packs and the black market - from the horse's mouth

There's an extraordinary scoop in The Sun today by Brian Flynn and Darren Fletcher who have caught the Indonesian black marketeer Fauz Firdaus on camera boasting about how plain packaging will make him more money. Firdaus's outfit already produces 200,000 cigarette per minute.

Posing as a potential buyer, Fletcher secretly filmed Firdaus in a café and asked him, amongst other things, about what effect plain packaging would have. The article contains quotes that ASH may find upsetting.

Indonesian forger Faus Firdaus said his profits would soar when he no longer has to copy the complex packaging and embossing on popular makes like Marlboro and Regal.

He even punched the air as he mocked PM David Cameron, cheering: "Plain packaging... I support the UK government! ...We will make more money. We can make it cheaper but sell for the same price. It's good for you, good for me."

He added that plain packaging would also lower the profile of forgeries, making them easier to ship without suspicion.

So here we have a big time cigarette counterfeiter explicitly—on camera—saying that plain packaging will be good for his business and explaining why. His explanation makes perfect economic sense and it reflects the expert opinion of packaging companies and serving police officers.

Can we put this ridiculous policy to bed now?