Dubai Police on Friday announced it arrested 41 people for begging and seized AED 60,000 from their possession.
Under an operation named “Misbah” - meaning “prayer bead” in Arabic - the authority found all the detainees living in the same hotel, which they allegedly used as a base for organised begging activities.
Dubai Police began surveilling the location after receiving a tip and detained three individuals selling prayer beads and accessories, who confessed to being part of a wider operation during questioning.
In coordination with hotel management, 28 suspects were arrested. The following day, 10 more were apprehended as they attempted to leave the hotel. All reportedly admitted to operating as an organised group for begging and were referred to the relevant authorities for legal action.
Dubai Police urged the public to report any begging activity and warned that beggars often exploit religious occasions and holidays to provoke sympathy through professional and deceitful means - an act considered a criminal offence under UAE law.
#News | Operation “Al-Misbah”: Dubai Police Arrest Organised Begging Ring of 41 Suspects Residing in Hotel
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) May 30, 2025
Details:https://t.co/c2tBoFvxuv#SayNoToBegging#PoliceEye#CommunitySafety pic.twitter.com/vi3nNc6Bwp
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