Dubai Police arrested 33 beggars during the first 10 days of Ramadan, the authority announced on Sunday.
These individuals, who come from various nationalities, were apprehended as part of the authority's anti-begging campaign titled 'A conscious society, free of beggars'.
Earlier, the authority had revealed how nine beggars were arrested on the first day of Ramadan as part of the campaign. Five males and four females were among those arrested.
Begging is considered a serious offence in the UAE and is punishable with 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.
These individuals often use manipulative methods, which include the exploitation of children, patients, and people of determination in begging. The authority further revealed how several cases have been reported of women begging while accompanied by children.
The police has intensified its operations during the holy month and develop a comprehensive security plan annually to combat begging, which includes increasing patrols in areas where beggars are likely to be present.
The authority stated it annually monitors fraudulent methods used by beggars in order to develop plans and programmes to prevent these activities.
The campaign targets all forms of begging, whether traditional — found in prayer gatherings, 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.
Residents across the city have been warned against the tactics used by these beggars who try to exploit the public's compassion to gain sympathy, especially during Ramadan, a month of giving.
The authority clarified that for those who looking for financial assistance, official entities and charitable organisations are available or services like 'Iftar for the fasting'.
Residents have been advised against responding to beggars' pleas or interacting with them out of pity. They have been encouraged 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.
Meanwhile in Sharjah, a recent real-life experiment conducted by the city's police revealed how a man was able to collect Dh367 in just one hour by playing the role of a beggar and exploiting residents' emotions during Ramadan.
