Dubai Police arrest a beggar found with Dh20,000. DUBAI POLICE

Dubai Police have arrested a beggar found in possession of Dh20,000 in cash as part of an intensified Ramadan crackdown on begging. The arrest was carried out by the Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Department under the General Department of Criminal Investigation during the “Combating Begging” campaign, launched in cooperation with strategic partners. Authorities said the suspect was apprehended in a parking lot and had allegedly been targeting owners of luxury vehicles and motorists at traffic lights, claiming to be in desperate need and unable to afford food. Meanwhile, Brigadier Ali Salem Al Shamsi, Director of the Suspicious Persons and Criminal Phenomena Department, warned residents not to sympathize with or give money to beggars. He said some individuals fabricate stories and use deceptive tactics to gain sympathy, often positioning themselves at mosque entrances, hospitals, clinics, markets and busy streets. Al Shamsi urged the public to report beggars through Dubai Police’s contact centre at 901 or via the “Police Eye” service on the Dubai Police smart app. He stressed that those in genuine need can seek help from official charitable organizations and government entities, adding that begging is illegal under federal law.

Jail and Dh100,000 fine for syndicates

The UAE Public Prosecution has repeatedly warned against organized begging and syndicates, especially during Ramadan when authorities step up enforcement. Under federal decree law, “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 Dh100,000.” Those who participate in organized begging face imprisonment of up to three months and a minimum fine of Dh5,000. Penalties are harsher if the offender is a guardian or has direct authority over the beggar. Authorities said they will continue coordinating efforts to combat begging, which they describe as harmful to the country’s public image and often linked to fraudulent schemes. ICA/Expat Media
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