DUBAI 6 June 2018: Were you approached by a two-year old child asking for medicines to treat his illness. He did not ask for money, instead asked you to buy the medicines for him.
If you fell for it, he would take the medicines back to the pharmacy, return them and ask for the cash.
This was one of the means employed in planned begging operations that are carried out during the holy month of Ramadan when soft-target people are at their charitable best.
Dubai Police recently carried out a sweep that netted 237 beggars.
Asian Beggars
The majority of beggars who were arrested came to the UAE on a visit visa from an Asian nation.
Dubai Police found three people begging for contributions towards the construction of a mosque.
One of the beggars placed a cast on his perfectly fine foot and sat on a wheelchair claiming a broken foot to ask for money.
An Asian man was caught in a car with number plates of another Gulf country. He used to beg people to pay for petrol, so he could return to his country of residence.
Five members of a family – a woman, her husband and three children – were caught begging near a medical facility.
Women Beggars
Brigadier Abdul Rahman Saeed Obaidullah, Director of the Naif police station, said the anti-begging campaing began n 29th of April.
The number of women seized out of 237 beggars was 83. Most cases of begging were by individuals.
He said Naif area witnessed the largest number of arrests at 67 cases, while Al Qusais and Al Barsha had the lowest.
The campaign is being carried out in cooperation with the General Directorate of Naturalization and Residency, the Dubai Municipality, the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, the Community Development Authority in Dubai, the Dar Albar Charity Society and Beit Al Khair Society.
#أخبار
“كافح التسول” تضبط 237 متسولاً بينهم 112 في شهر رمضانالتفاصيل:https://t.co/gKEMipTvR4
#أمنكم_سعادتنا
#نتواصل_ونحمي_نبتكر_ونبني pic.twitter.com/xpJXRScu3j— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) June 4, 2018