Moves to register pay-as-you-go mobile phones condemned

MOVES to register pay-as-you-go mobile phone users were condemned as sinister and unworkable by civil liberties campaigners last night.

Drugs Minister Pat Carey insisted he would push ahead with the measures in order to combat crime gangs. Mr Carey said he wanted to act quickly to ensure that pay-as-you-go phones could only be purchased with photo ID and proof of address.

He said the crackdown would hit the rampant use of such phones in prison and among drug dealers.