Dubai: A total of 209 beggars have been rounded up in Dubai in Dubai since June 15, which was the beginning of Dubai police’s annual anti-begging campaign.

The campaign starts 15 days before Ramadan each year and continues until after Eid. It is an initiative by Dubai Police, but includes a number of government entities, including the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.

The campaign is held under the patronage of Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief.

Out of the 209, 166 were men, 34 were women and nine were children.

Colonel Mohammad Rashid Al Muhairi, Director of the Tourist Police Department at the Criminal Investigation Department of Dubai Police and Head of Dubai Police’s Anti-begging campaign, said that the campaign’s success is due to the many reports they receive from the public.

“When someone calls, we ask them to describe the exact location of the beggars, what they look like, what they are wearing and the method they are using to make people feel sorry for them.,” Col Al Muhairi said.

He said they alert one of the 30 patrols they have distributed across the city that is nearest to the place described by the caller and the beggar is caught in the act.

Another reason why the campaign has been successful, Col Al Muhairi said, was because of the coordination between different government departments, “We are working closely with Dubai Public Prosecution and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners affairs, so when the patrols catch someone, they are immediately processed and are not kept waiting.”

“We are not heartless people that are devoid of humanity, but the majority of these beggars are con artists that are not in need and are abusing the kindness of people to make money.” Col Al Muhairi explained.

He said that some of the beggars they catch come here on tourist visas just to beg and go back home, and others are illegals that have come into the country illegally or overstayed their visas.

“We arrested an Asian man who came into the country on a tourist visa and his documents said he was a businessman, he was arrested for begging a day later. He was pretending to have undergone a surgery and had bandages on his chest and abdomen and was wearing worn-out clothes.” Col Al Muhairi said.

When the police took him to the clinic and removed the bandages, there were no wounds, he said.

Lt Col Ali Salim Al Shamsi, Director of the Illegals Department at the Criminal Investigation Department of Dubai Police, said that some even use injections that make the injected area swell up unnaturally for a few hours and then go back to normal.

“We caught a man who was begging near the abras at Dubai Creek following one of the reports we received. When we caught him we found Dh12,000 in his pockets,” Lt. Col Al Shamsi said.

He added that now people use social media and Whatsapp as a begging tool. “There are many messages circulated on such platforms, such as a recent one where they claimed they were five orphan girls and their mum is old and they needed money for rent.”

Major Abdullah Atiq, Director of the Investigation Department at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, said that they fine companies who sponsor people who come to beg in the country. “The first time they are fined Dh1000, the second time Dh5,000 and then Dh7000. Then they are warned and we reduce their quota of visas.”

Maj Atiq added that if one of these companies turns out to only exist on paper and its sole purpose is to bring people in on visas to beg, they are shut down.

Beggars caught are transferred to the public prosecution and then deported.

Dubai Police urge the public not to fall prey to beggars’ tricks and lies, adding that the UAE has many charities that aid the needy. People can report cases of begging on the toll-free number 800243.