DUBAI, 5 October 2006 — Dubai Municipality inspectors, in cooperation with police and the Naturalization and Residency Department, nabbed last month 234 persons including street vendors, beggars and illegal car washers, it was announced yesterday.
According to Obeid Salem Al-Shamsi, assistant director general of Dubai Municipality for Administrative and General Services Affairs, the sweep against the law-breakers had also resulted in the seizure of several low-quality goods, pirated CDs and foodstuffs.
Civic inspectors conduct daily spot checks in streets to prevent street vending, begging and car washing in public places by individuals in violation of a ruling by the Ministry of Labor in this regard.
The municipal inspectors caught 234 people in September, including 104 street vendors, 89 beggars (25 of them women), 20 car washers and 21 illegal butchers and fishmongers.
He noted that a total of 1,702 counterfeit products including ready-made garments, perfumes, cameras and watches that were fake international brands were confiscated. Also, 4,077 DVDs with pirated films and 87 pornographic movies were seized.
Al-Shamsi explained that the law-breakers would be handed over to the Naturalization and Residency Department for deportation in coordination with Dubai police.
