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Dubai Police arrest 22 beggars targeting motorists on busy roads
Suspects allegedly targeted motorists on major roads, claiming they needed money for travel expenses
- PUBLISHED: Mon 28 Sept 2026, 3:45 PM UPDATED: Mon 28 Sept 2026, 7:34 PM
A tip-off submitted through Dubai Police’s Police Eye service has led to the arrest of an organised gang comprising 22 people accused of begging across the emirate.
According to Dubai Police, the suspects were operating on several major and busy roads, where they allegedly approached motorists and sought to gain their sympathy by claiming they needed money to cover travel expenses.
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The report, filed through the Dubai Police app, helped officers identify the group’s modus operandi.
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Police teams subsequently monitored the suspects’ movements before arresting all 22 members of the gang.
In March 2026, police also dismantled a separate 13-member gang whose alleged ringleader was operating from abroad. The suspects reportedly used fabricated stories, including claims that they were stranded in the UAE, to solicit money.
Dubai Police recorded 1,801 begging cases between 2021 and 2025. These included 458 cases in 2021, 318 in 2022, 499 in 2023, 320 in 2024 and 206 in 2025.
What the UAE law says
Under the UAE Crimes and Penalties Law, anyone convicted of begging may face up to three months in prison and a Dh5,000 fine.
Those convicted of operating a professional begging gang or recruiting people from outside the UAE to beg face tougher penalties: at least six months in prison and a minimum fine of Dh100,000.
Residents can report suspected begging through the Police Eye service on the Dubai Police app, by calling 901, or through the e-Crime platform. Police have urged the public to make donations only through authorised charitable organisations.
Ruqayya Alqaydi is an associate editor with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.