Dubai Police arrest 35 beggars since start of Ramadan

Thirty-five beggars including women and children have been arrested so far during Ramadan as part of Dubai Police’s annual clampdown.

DUBAI // Thirty-five beggars have been arrested since the start of Ramadan as part of Dubai Police’s annual clampdown.

Col Mohammed Rashid Al Muheiri, director of the tourist security department, said officers arrested 26 men, seven women and two children.

One of the men, from an Arab country, used two boys in his begging scheme, another man arrested, from an Asian country, tied up his sleeves to make his arms look as like they had been amputated, Col Al Muheiri said.

People who need financial support are transferred to a charity while those faking disabilities and lying face legal prosecution, he said.

Last year, Dubai Police arrested 1,405 people, of which 1,166 were men and 239 women. Of those, 321 were arrested during Ramadan.