576 street vendors, beggars, illegal car washers nabbed

Dubai Municipality inspectors, in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department, nabbed last month 576 persons including street vendors, beggars and illegal car washers. The sweep against the law-breakers had also resulted in the seizure of several low-quality goods and pirated CDs.

Civic inspectors conduct daily spot checks in streets and public places to prevent street vending, begging and car washing in public places by individuals in violation of a ruling by the Ministry of Labour in this regard. Inspectors at the Control Unit of the Markets Administration Section in the Assets Management Department carry out regular checks to book the violators.

In December 2010, they caught a total of 576 people including 463 street vendors, 35 beggars, 54 car washers and 24 illegal butchers and fish cleaners.

A total of 1,600 counterfeit products including ready-made garments, perfumes, and phones that were fake international brands were confiscated. Also, some 6,484 DVDs with pirated films, 254 pornographic movies, 1,260 foodstuff items including boxes of fruits and vegetables, in addition to 529 alcoholic drinks including 156 bottles of whisky and 373 cartons of beer were seized last month.

The law-breakers, who belong to various nationalities, would be handed over to the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department for deportation in coordination with Dubai Police. The seized goods would be destroyed and disposed off safely after legal actions were taken against the violators.

The public is urged to call the Municipality on the toll-free number 800900 round-the-clock to report such illegal activities.