Dubai Police arrest 67 beggars since the beginning of Ramadan

The Dubai Police have arrested 67 beggars (31 males and 36 females) since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. The arrests were effected as part of the police’s anti-begging campaign.

Colonel Ali Salem Al Shamsi, director of the Infiltration Control Department at the General Department of Criminal Investigations, said beggars pose a threat to the security and safety of society and properties, and affect the country’s image. He said begging is linked to crimes like thefts and robberies, and more serious ones like the exploitation of children, the sick, and people of determination.

He called on the public to report beggars immediately through the call centre 901, or the ‘Police Eye’ service on the police app.

Police forces across the Emirate launch campaigns against the crime ahead of the holy month of Ramadan as beggars come to the country in droves to take advantage of people’s generosity.

The Sharjah Police recently said they categorise begging as ‘financial fraud’. Brig Gen Ibrahim Al Ajel, deputy director of the police operation department, said that a large number of beggars had entered the country on visit visas. Beggars who were taken into custody confessed that they were brought in by tourist companies. They were ‘hired’ by these companies to beg for money, for which they would be paid a monthly salary.

The police said that many individuals and groups have been found amassing large sums of money by begging.

Last month, the Dubai Police arrested a beggar and recovered Dh300,000 concealed in his artificial limb.