Baghdad: Rusafa police arrest man for ‘overseeing begging ring’

BAGHDAD — Rusafa police arrested a man accused of overseeing the distribution of beggars and panhandlers in Baghdad’s Karrada district after setting up a sting operation, authorities said. The suspect reportedly attempted to bribe officers in exchange for his release.

“Following directives from the Baghdad Rusafa police chief and continuous surveillance of individuals managing the distribution of beggars and street vendors at intersections, public squares, and markets, officers from the Karrada Second Patrol successfully set up an ambush leading to the suspect’s arrest,” the police command said in a statement.

The statement added, “Upon his arrest, the suspect attempted to bribe an officer to secure his release. He has been handed over to the police station for legal procedures.”

Criminal networks are known to exploit vulnerable populations by coercing them—particularly women and children—into begging. Iraqi authorities have intensified efforts to combat this practice. In May 2024, Baghdad police detained over 110 beggars of various nationalities, including 41 children, during operations targeting begging rings. Similarly, in Kirkuk, security forces arrested a suspected gang leader accused of managing an extensive network of beggars.

In March 2024, Fadhil al-Gharawi, head of the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq, revealed that there are 500,000 beggars on the streets of Iraq, many of whom are foreign and allegedly managed by “organized crime bands.”