Police clamp down on Ramadan beggars

Officers arrested 65 beggars, including 54 men, eight women and three children, since the campaign was launched on June 5.

DUBAI // More than 60 beggars have been arrested so far during Ramadan as part of Dubai Police’s annual clampdown.

Col Mohammed Rashid Al Muheiri, from Dubai Police’s Tourist Security Department, said officers had arrested 65 beggars – 54 men, eight women and three children – since the campaign was launched on June 5. It will run until the start of Eid Al Fitr at the end of the holy month.

The majority of those arrested were from Asian countries, said Col Al Muheiri, who said an Iranian family of five was arrested for begging in Al Aweir.

Maj Gen Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, head of the CID at Dubai Police, said 48 police patrols had been deployed to residential neighbourhoods, shopping districts and areas near mosques.

He said professional beggars used different methods to exploit the public, with some pretending to have physical disabilities to gain pity.

Maj Gen Al Mansouri warned people not to empathise with beggars, adding there were many charitable organisations in Dubai that offered help to those in need.

The public are asked to cooperate with the police’s clampdown and call a hotline on 800243 to report beggars.

Dubai Police chief Maj Gen Khamis Mattar Al Muzeina said anyone caught begging would be subject to the relevant legal procedures.