Brigadier Abdul Rahman Saeed Obaidullah, director of the Naif police station, announced this at a Press conference. Colonel Ali Salem, director of the Department of Combating Infiltrators and Colonel Jumaa Al Shamsi, head of Public Relations at the General Department of Criminal Investigation, were present.

Most of the beggars were arrested in the area under Naif jurisdiction, which is a popular for commercial and logistic activities. 67 of the total arrested were in Naif, with 42 of them women. A special policewomen team is monitoring female beggars in public places, especially in shopping areas.

The official also said that Qusais and Barsha had the least incidence of beggars, as these are largely residential areas.

Most of the beggars caught also had a past record of theft, harrassment or other crimes. Col Salem said that most of the beggars arrested acted individually and were not part of any organised gang. The majority of them are of Asian nationalities and enter to the UAE on visit visas, claiming they are here for business purposes.

The anti-begging campaign is being carried out in cooperation with the General Directorate Of Residency And Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), the Dubai Municipality, Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, Community Development Authority, Dar Al Ber Society and Beit Al Khair Society.

The police are posting anti-begging and awarness posters near mosques and the charity societies putting up tents and providing food to the needy and underprivileged, to prevent them from taking up begging. They are also helping out those who have visa issues.

Members of the public who come across such cases can inform the police on 901.

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