As many as 796 beggars and 1,287 street peddlers have been arrested in Dubai in the first six months of this year.
They were nabbed during a major inspection campaign by the Police, who also received over 414 reports related to begging via their smart application.
The authority has urged the public not to show sympathy to such individuals and to make donations only to registered charities.
It has also called on people to report suspicious activities on the toll-free number 901 or through the Dubai Police App's 'Police Eye' service.
"The service aims to maintain security and reduce crime by encouraging the public to report illegal activities and violations easily. The user-friendly application allows people to attach videos, photos or voice messages and even pin the location of the incident when filing a report," Dubai Police said in a statement.
#News | Dubai Police arrest 796 Beggars, 1287 Street Peddlers in First Half of 2022
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) September 14, 2022
Details:https://t.co/R8Re4A04yr#SmartSecureTogether#YourSecurityOurHappiness pic.twitter.com/MQ4fnK57dW