Street vendors, beggars face deportation

Dubai: The Dubai Municipality, in cooperation with the police, arrested 205 street vendors, beggars and illegal car washers.

Counterfeit goods were also seized during spot checks, Ebrahim Ubeid Marzouqi, head of the Municipality's markets department, said.

During the checks last month, 955 counterfeit products including garments, perfumes, cameras and watches were confiscated. More than 5,900 pirated DVDs, 110 pornographic movies and 704 food items including fruits and vegetables were also seized.

"Civic inspectors conduct daily spot checks in streets and public places to prevent street vending, begging and car washing in public places by individuals in violation of a ruling by the Ministry of Labour in this regard," Marzouqi said.

Marzouqi said 83 vendors, 98 beggars, 13 car washers and 11 illegal butchers and fish cleaners were caught.

The law-breakers of various nationalities were handed over to the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs for deportation. The seized goods will be destroyed after legal action is concluded.