775 illegal expatriates arrested in UAE

Dubai:As many as 775 illegal residents were arrested during November as part of a police campaign launched in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to stem loitering in public places, police said.

The suspects were of various nationalities and had entered the country illegally or had run away from their sponsors, the Gulf News reported Wednesday citing police.

They used to earn their living by either street hawking, begging or gambling.

A police official said the campaign will continue according to a security plan.

Jihad Sahoo, head of the criminal investigation department of Sharjah police, said a large number of those arrested were found sheltering in abandoned buildings, construction sites, workshops and empty labour accommodation.

He added that this campaign is part of a plan to curb illegal residents in the UAE.