Dubai Police warn on beggars, illegal butchers, 50 arrested

Dubai: Dubai Police have intensified warnings against beggars and itinerant butchers who exploit religious holidays and festive occasions to prey on public sympathy and bypass health regulations, revealing that 50 violators were arrested during Eid Al Adha last year.

Brigadier Ali Salem Al Shamsi, Director of the Criminal Phenomena Department at the General Department of Criminal Investigation at Dubai Police, said authorities are closely monitoring increasingly sophisticated methods used by beggars, as part of ongoing efforts to combat negative social phenomena and protect the community.

He said the “Anti-Begging” campaign, launched in cooperation with strategic partners, focuses on developing programmes and enforcement plans to curb begging and arrest those involved.

Brig. Al Shamsi said the campaign targets both traditional and modern forms of begging. These include soliciting money in mosques, markets and majlis gatherings, as well as electronic begging through social media and online platforms. Some fraudsters, he said, falsely claim to be collecting donations for humanitarian causes or mosque construction projects abroad.

Dubai Police said the campaign is aimed at preserving the emirate’s civilised image, while also protecting the public from crimes linked to organised and electronic begging networks.

Authorities warned that beggars often intensify their activities during Ramadan and religious holidays, exploiting the generosity and compassion that characterise such occasions.

Brig. Al Shamsi noted that some resort to emotionally manipulative tactics, including using children, sick individuals and people of determination to gain sympathy from residents. He revealed that police had previously arrested several women who used children while begging.

He stressed that begging in all its forms is a punishable offence under UAE law, describing many of the operations as organised and professional schemes designed to deceive the public for financial gain.

The senior officer urged residents to channel donations only through officially recognised charitable organisations and licensed humanitarian bodies to ensure aid reaches genuine beneficiaries.

Dubai Police also renewed warnings against itinerant butchers, particularly during Eid Al Adha, citing serious public health concerns linked to unregulated slaughter practices.

Brig. Al Shamsi said many itinerant butchers operate in unhygienic environments that fail to meet even basic health and sterilisation standards. He explained that some move from house to house using the same tools repeatedly without proper cleaning or sterilisation, increasing the risk of contamination and disease transmission.

He urged the public to avoid dealing with unlicensed butchers and instead rely on approved slaughterhouses and authorised service providers.

Dubai Police called on residents to report beggars or itinerant butchers through the toll-free number 901 or via the “Police Eye” service on the Dubai Police smart application. Cases of electronic begging can also be reported through the “e-Crime” platform, authorities said.