Runaway maids arrested in Dubai

Dubai: Twenty absconded domestic helpers were arrested working in Coffee shops in Dubai, said a senior official from the Ministry of Interior.

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), told Gulf News that the investigation team from the residency Department was able to arrest the women in less than two hours in a random inspection to 27 coffee shops in the Fareej Al Marrar area in Dubai.

Major General Al Merri, said the investigation team arrested the domestic helpers after they ran away from their sponsors in order to work for coffee shops and Shisha shops there.

Al Merri urged the public to call the toll free number 8005111 to report illegal activities.

“Public can call our Amer service and it will be dealt with very confidentially,” he said.

Lieutenant Colonel Khalaf Al Ghaith, Assistant Director General for Follow up, Investigation and Illegal Department at GDRFA said: “The women all entered the country on domestic helper visas from different emirates,” he said.

“The arrested women will be referred to the public prosecutor,” he said.

“They will face jail term, a fine and they will be deported after taking their iris scan and they will be banned from entering the UAE forever,” he said.

He added also those who employed them will face jail, fine and deportation.

Al Ghaith said employing illegal maids has a bad impact on the safety of the country, the society and the security of the public.