Part 6: Miscellaneous Section 107: Prevention or restriction on use of communication devices for drug dealing
This section inserts a new section 80A into the Serious Crime Act 2015 to provide the Secretary of State with a power to make UK-wide regulations, subject to the affirmative procedure (new subsection 11), which would, in turn, confer power on the civil courts to make a drug dealing telecommunication restriction order (‘DDTRO’) on application by the police or NCA.
	The effect of such an order will be to require the relevant communications provider to take whatever action the order specifies for the purpose of preventing or restricting the use of communication devices in connection with drug dealing offences, such as closing down mobile phone handsets, blocking SIM cards (and the associated phone number), and preventing the portability of phone numbers to another mobile network. New subsections (5) to (8) sets out the matters that must be addressed in any regulations, including who can make applications for such orders and provision about appeals. New subsection (9) sets out the matters that may be addressed in any regulations, for example, provision about time limits and costs. New subsections 4 and 12 would provide definitions of certain terms, including "drug dealing offence" and "communications provider".