Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Statistics released by Jeddah police show that 605 male and female beggars have been arrested after a series of security sweeps in the city. The raids were carried out late in the night or at dawn on ramshackle houses in rundown city districts where the beggars had been sheltering themselves after panhandling in the streets all day. Jeddah police deployed uniformed and undercover units comprising officers from all security sectors to monitor the mendicants at places they frequented, such as traffic lights, shopping malls, mosques, public parks and other recreation areas, including the Corniche. Brig. Misfer Al-Juaid, spokesman of Jeddah police, said the majority of people who have taken up beggary as a profession were illegal residents or Haj and Umrah visa overstayers. Al-Juiad warned the public against cooperating with these people who do not deserve Zakat payments. "Giving them alms encourages them and their numbers would increase. Pilgrims should leave the country as soon as they complete their religious rites," he stressed. The security swoop resulted in the arrests of 605 people, including beggars and infiltrators. Of them, 83 were men, 249 women and 273 children of various nationalities. They were handed over to the authorities concerned. During the operation, over 25 houses were raided after keeping them under surveillance for some time. Several of those arrested said they had crossed into the country illegally across the southern border with the intention of begging at traffic signals, malls and mosques. They said they had feigned handicaps to win the sympathy of people. Al-Juaid said interrogations of the detainees revealed that they collected between SR300 and SR500 in alms on normal days, while their revenue doubled in high seasons such as the holy month of Ramadan and Haj. They said they took up begging as a profession because of the huge earnings they made with minimum efforts. They also said they had received help from "beggary agents," who provided them with accommodation and transportation. These agents are the ones who smuggled them into the country The campaign targeted many rundown areas of the city, including Ghulail, Hindawiya, Kandarah and Karantina districts. The raids started after collecting information and obtaining necessary orders and search warrants. Al-Juaid called on citizens to cooperate with security men even if it meant they had to report someone they knew because their presence in the streets might pose a potential danger to society.
