Dubai: A woman was fined Dh850,000 for employing 17 women illegally, officials said.
The Filipina woman, who runs a party planning agency, was given a fine of Dh50,000 for each of the 17 workers she employed illegally.
The Residency and Foreigners Affairs prosecution penalised the woman for illegally employing the workers as hostesses at wedding parties.
Officials at the Residency and Foreigners Affairs Department arrested 161 women last December for working illegally.
The official said at least 161 Filipinas and one Indonesian were arrested at an elite wedding reception at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The women, who are now in jail, were all arrested after finishing their work at the reception.
Officials said the women were working for five different companies and one of those companies had already been fined Dh850,000.
Part-time job
The arrested women were hired part-time by five wedding organising companies, four of which were run by Filipino organisers and one by an Indian.
Residency officials arrested the workers after they finished cleaning the reception area and were ready to leave the World Trade Centre.
"They were divided into four groups and their cases are being heard separately and several of them have been released on bail and still need to attend the court hearings," said an official.
The official said that those who were released have residence visas here. "Fifteen of the women who were released were on their brother's or husband's visas," said the official.
The women, who work for catering and party services companies, were on their husband's visas, valid or expired tourist and visit visas, and absconded housemaid visas.
The women who worked part-time at the wedding reception were caught just before leaving the World Trade Centre premises at 2am.
Awaiting sentencing
Officials said other women are still to face trial and will be sentenced soon.
"According to UAE residency law, employing persons not on one's sponsorship face jail and Dh50,000 for each illegal employee and if employing an infiltrator there will be a fine of Dh100,000 for each infiltrator," officials said.
Officials warned that such behaviour affects the safety and security of the country.