Dubai: The majority of suspects arrested for begging came to the UAE on visit visas, police said on Wednesday.
“Ninety per cent of the people we catch are here on tourist or visit visas, and are here to make money illegally by posing as beggars. There are even companies who offer people visas and places to stay for a price, then everyday a bus takes those people and drops them off in different areas to beg, and come back to take them, taking a sum of what they make out of their rounds daily,” Brigadier Ahmad Thani Bin Ghulaita Al Muhairi, Director of the Al Ghusais police station, said.
Begging is a punishable offence in the country.
“These people posing as beggars know that people tend to be more charitable during Ramadan. This is their ‘season’; they come during Ramadan, stay through Eid Al Fitr and until Eid Al Adha,” he explained. He said anti-begging police teams patrol areas known to be frequented by beggars, such as cemeteries on weekends and mosques after Friday prayers.
“You should not feel sorry for these beggars, as most of them are not really in need. It is a profitable business for them. I know it is difficult sometimes to not give them money or report them but, in most cases, they are pretending to be in need,” he said.
Al Ghusais police station, meanwhile, recorded 13 begging cases involving 19 people this year up until June 22.
Dubai Police had launched an anti-begging campaign on May 24 to educate public on risks posed by beggars.
In 2015, Al Ghusais police station recorded 31 begging cases involving 47 people.
“Beggars target areas where families in general live, especially Emirati families,” he said.
The anti-begging campaign team comprises 21 officers, with representatives from each police station.
They patrol the city while receiving tip-offs from the public in order to curb begging in the city.
“People should not hesitate to call the police with tip-offs about beggars, as they abuse people’s humanity and make money out of it, when they are not in actual need,” Brig Al Muhairi said.
The tip-off can be given anonymously and all that is needed is providing the place where they witnessed the beggar.
People can call the task force directly on 052-2106969 or report them to 800 CID (800243).