In a mass crackdown, Dubai Police arrested nine beggars on the first day of Ramzan, Saturday, March 1, under its ‘Fight Begging’ campaign drive. The arrested beggars included males and females. The initiative aims to prevent begging and combat it to maintain the Emirate’s civilized image.
Speaking of the arrest, Director of the Suspects and Criminal Phenomena Department in the General Department of Criminal Investigation Brigadier Ali Salem Al Shamsi stated that anti-beggining camping is successfully operating across Dubai in a collaborative effort with strategic partners, including the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, Dubai Municipality, and the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.
Al Shamsi further added that Dubai Police annually devise a comprehensive security plan to combat begging by intensifying patrols where beggars are usually reported to the authorities. He confirmed that the Dubai police closely monitor the tactics of beggars to come up with better ways to stop them. “The beggars use several tricks to get public attention by exploiting children, the sick, and people with disabilities for illicit gains,” Al Shamsi added.
Notably, begging is a crime and is punishable in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Federal Law No. 9 of 2018. “After enforcing strict and decisive actions to target offenders, begging cases have significantly reduced in comparison to the past”, the official added.
Al Shamsi advised against responding to beggars’ pleas or interacting with them out of pity, encouraging the public to report beggars immediately via the contact center (901) or the ‘Police Eye’ service on the Dubai Police smart app, as well as to report cases of electronic begging through the ‘E-crime’ online platform.
Notably, begging is a crime and is punishable in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to Articles 476 and 477 of Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021, anyone who organises begging committed by an organised group of two or more persons shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months and a fine of not less than AED 100,000 (Rs 22,72,876).
Al Shamsi emphasized that people should avoid interacting with beggars while dismissing the practice of giving in to their appeals. He instructed citizens to use both the contact center (901) and the Dubai Police smart app ‘Police Eye’ service for reporting beggars as well as the ‘E-crime’ online platform to report electronic begging incidents.
Officials said that beggars use several tricks to get public attention by exploiting children, the sick, and people with disabilities for illicit gains.
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