More than 2,000 beggars and illegal street vendors arrested in Dubai

DUBAI // More than 2,000 beggars and illegal street vendors have been arrested in the emirate since January.

Dubai Municipality’s Social Violation Control Unit inspectors, Dubai Police and the Ministry of Labour, detained 2,108 people in a major crackdown.

The operation also resulted in the seizure of hundreds of thousands of illegal items.

Inspectors caught 236 beggars who had entered the country on tourist visas in addition to 1,872 street vendors.

Among the items seized were 246 counterfeit products and 155 tonnes of food which was found to be unfit for human consumption. The food was intended for sale to labourers in Al Quoz and Al Qusais.

The campaign, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Public Health and Safety and the Dubai Police Criminal investigation Department, included 5,942 inspections, including daily spot checks and raids on suspected areas.