Seventeen beggars were arrested across Dubai on the first day of Ramadan on Monday.
The crackdown is part of an anti-begging campaign launched by Dubai Police in coordination with other government entities, including the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), Dubai Municipality and the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department.
"Those arrested included 13 men and four women," said Colonel Ali Salem Al Shamsi, Director of the Suspects & Criminal Phenomena Department at the General Department of Criminal Investigation.
He highlighted how begging is often linked to theft and the exploitation of children, the sick and people of determination for illicit gains.
Dubai Police have urged the public not to show sympathy to such individuals, and to donate only to official charities.
The authority also emphasised the importance of reporting beggars by calling 901 or via the Dubai Police app.
#News | Dubai Police Arrests 17 Beggars on the First Day of Ramadan
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) March 12, 2024
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