Pak gang jailed for human trafficking in UAE

SHARJAH: Four Pakistani ringleaders of a major human trafficking gang were sentenced to a year in jail and fined Dh100,000 each followed by deportation by Sharjah court for bringing 35 compatriots for begging in the UAE.

Sharjah Police informed The News that the gang of four has been arrested in the emirates recently for forcing people from different parts of Pakistan into begging.

Interestingly, the gang took 90 percent of the alms from beggars and gave them only 10 percent of the some they gained by begging said the authorities.

According to the police, the group brought 35 people from different parts of Pakistan to Sharjah on the pretext of jobs but forced them into working as beggars. Out of the 35, 14 are disabled , police said. The Pakistani accused had brought the victims as young as 14 on visit visas ahead of Ramazan.

The victims were given begging-training on how to earn people's sympathy so they could earn huge amount of alms. The police said that the defendants put the beggars up in an accommodation in the industrial area.

During the police and prosecution interrogation, the defendants had confessed that they had brought people with disabilities from different parts of Pakistan including a large number of amputees, to make them beg in the UAE.

Pakistani community living in the UAE as well as local authorities have lodged several complaitns with the official of Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Pakistan Consulate Dubai on criminal gangs involved in heinous felony in the UAE but all the complaints fall on deaf ears.

Besides, police in Sharjah as well as Dubai have started an anti-begging campaign to round up people who have been contacting United Arab Emirates residents for money over the phone, according to reports. Police in Dubai have arrested 78 beggars, it has been reported.

Dubai police has urged residents to not respond sympathetically to unknown people using electronic devices to reach out for money.

Besides, UAE passed an anti-begging federal law that punishes anyone found begging in the country. A fine of AED5,000 and prison sentence up to three months was announced by the Federal National Council in April.