Photo used for illustrative purpose.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

As part of Dubai Police’s campaign "Begging is a Wrong concept of Compassion,” 177 violators were arrested at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

Colonel Ali Salem, Director of the Department of infiltrators at Dubai Police, said they operate according to an integrated security plan to combat begging in cooperation with partners and intensify patrols in places expected to be frequent by beggars.

"The campaign showed evident success in reducing the number of beggars annually, as strict procedures are taken against violators and the efforts of the General Department of Criminal Investigation to eliminate the phenomenon from our society," Col Salem added.

"Begging poses a serious threat to the safety and security of our society. We take the matter seriously as it ruins the reputation of the emirate and also affects the security as it increases cases of theft and pickpocketing," Director of the Department of infiltrators continued.

"There are people who attempt to justify their illegal behaviour with their financial desperation, however, according to Federal Law No. 9 of 2018 on Anti-begging, anyone caught begging in the UAE will be fined Dhs5,000 and imprisoned for a term up to three months. Those operating professional gangs of beggars or recruiting people from outside the country to work as beggars face a jail term of not less than six months and a minimum fine of Dhs100,000." he stressed.

The Dubai Police urged all citizens and residents not to be sympathetic with beggars and instead donate to official charities. They also asked the public to report beggars to the toll-free number 901 or through the Police Eye service via Dubai Police App, and to report cyber-beggars and online suspicious activities on www.ecrime.ae