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Dubai Police arrest 9 beggars on the first day of Ramadan
Authorities warned residents of beggars exploiting people's goodwill to evoke sympathy
- PUBLISHED: Mon 3 Mar 2025, 3:06 PM
Dubai Police arrested nine beggars on the first day of Ramadan as part of the anti-begging campaign. Five males and four females were among those arrested.
The crackdown is part of Dubai Police's 'fight begging' campaign. The campaign aims to preserve the emirate's civilised image by combating and preventing begging.
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Brigadier Ali Salem Al Shamsi, director of the Suspects and Criminal Phenomena Department in the General Department of Criminal Investigation, stated that the anti-begging campaign is among the successful initiatives conducted in partnership with partners. Due to strict and decisive actions against offenders, the number of beggars has been reduced annually.
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In the UAE, begging is a crime punishable by a fine of Dh5,000 and up to three months in prison. Those involved in organising begging rings or recruiting individuals from outside the country to solicit alms can face a six-month prison term and a Dh100,000 fine. Additionally, raising funds without a permit can result in fines of up to Dh500,000.
Al Shamsi said that Dubai Police devises a yearly security plan to fight begging by increasing patrols in areas where beggars usually target individuals. He added that the police closely monitor the tricks used by beggars to come up with better ways to stop them. "This ultimately leads to the apprehension of those involved, thereby protecting the community," he said.
Exploiting feelings of compassion
Al Shamsi urged the community to be wary of beggars exploiting the public's goodwill, especially during the holy month. He asked residents to be careful of their manipulations, which can take various forms, including the exploitation of children, patients, and people of determination in begging to elicit sympathy. "Several cases have been reported of women begging while accompanied by children," Al Shamsi added.
He highlighted that the campaign targets all forms of begging, whether traditional—found near mosques, community meetings, and markets—or non-traditional, such as online begging and soliciting donations for building mosques abroad or claiming to need help for humanitarian reasons.
Dubai Police's campaign aims to achieve several key objectives, including maintaining the community's dignified image and protecting it from crimes related to both traditional and electronic begging.
Reporting channels
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.