217 illegal vendors, beggars detained

DUBAI - Inspectors of Dubai Municipality, in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department, nabbed 217 people, including street vendors, beggars and illegal car washers last month.


According to Obeid Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General of Administrative and General Services Affairs at the municipality, said the crackdown had also resulted in the seizure of several low-quality goods, pirated CDs and food items.

The inspectors had been conducting spot checks at streets and public places daily to prevent activities like street vending, begging and car washing in public places which had been banned by a ruling of the Ministry of Labour, he said.

“Nine inspectors at the Security and Control Unit of the Administrative Affairs Department carry out regular checks. In November, they caught 217 people including 123 street vendors, 49 beggars, 39 car washers and six illegal butchers and fish cleaners,” Al Shamsi said.

A total of 745 counterfeit products, including readymade garments, perfumes, cameras and watches of international brands, were confiscated. Also, 1,961 pirated DVDs of films, 40 CDs of pornographic movies and foodstuffs were seized.

Al Shamsi said the detained people, who belonged to various nationalities, would be handed over to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department for deportation.