Why We Went Undercover to Expose Crime in the Kurdish-origin Community

A pair of Kurdish individuals decided to work covertly to expose a organization behind unlawful High Street establishments because the criminals are causing harm the image of Kurds in the Britain, they say.

The pair, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish-origin investigators who have both resided lawfully in the United Kingdom for years.

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish-linked criminal operation was running mini-marts, hair salons and car washes the length of the UK, and sought to find out more about how it worked and who was participating.

Equipped with covert recording devices, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no permission to work, seeking to acquire and run a small shop from which to trade illegal cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

They were able to discover how easy it is for someone in these circumstances to establish and operate a commercial operation on the High Street in full view. Those participating, we learned, pay Kurds who have British citizenship to legally establish the operations in their names, helping to deceive the officials.

Saman and Ali also succeeded to covertly document one of those at the core of the network, who asserted that he could eliminate government sanctions of up to £60,000 imposed on those employing unauthorized employees.

"I aimed to contribute in exposing these illegal activities [...] to loudly proclaim that they don't represent us," states Saman, a ex- refugee applicant personally. Saman entered the United Kingdom without authorization, having fled the Kurdish region - a territory that covers the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not officially recognized as a nation - because his life was at threat.

The reporters admit that conflicts over unauthorized immigration are elevated in the UK and state they have both been worried that the inquiry could worsen tensions.

But the other reporter explains that the illegal labor "negatively affects the entire Kurdish population" and he believes driven to "expose it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

Separately, the journalist mentions he was anxious the coverage could be used by the far-right.

He states this especially struck him when he noticed that extreme right campaigner a prominent activist's Unite the Kingdom march was happening in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating secretly. Banners and flags could be seen at the protest, displaying "we demand our nation back".

Both journalists have both been tracking online response to the investigation from inside the Kurdish-origin community and report it has sparked intense outrage for certain individuals. One social media post they spotted said: "In what way can we locate and find [the undercover reporters] to kill them like dogs!"

Another demanded their families in the Kurdish region to be harmed.

They have also read accusations that they were spies for the British government, and traitors to fellow Kurdish people. "Both of us are not informants, and we have no desire of damaging the Kurdish population," one reporter explains. "Our aim is to uncover those who have harmed its image. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish-origin heritage and profoundly concerned about the behavior of such people."

Most of those seeking refugee status state they are fleeing politically motivated discrimination, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the Refugee Workers Cultural Association, a organization that helps asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the UK.

This was the situation for our covert journalist one investigator, who, when he first came to the UK, experienced challenges for many years. He states he had to survive on less than £20 a per week while his refugee application was considered.

Refugee applicants now get about forty-nine pounds a week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in housing which offers food, according to official guidance.

"Realistically speaking, this isn't adequate to support a dignified lifestyle," explains the expert from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are largely restricted from employment, he feels numerous are open to being exploited and are effectively "obligated to labor in the unofficial sector for as little as three pounds per hour".

A representative for the Home Office stated: "The government do not apologize for refusing to grant refugee applicants the authorization to be employed - doing so would create an reason for individuals to travel to the United Kingdom illegally."

Asylum cases can require years to be processed with nearly a one-third requiring more than 12 months, according to government statistics from the spring this current year.

The reporter states working without authorization in a vehicle cleaning service, hair salon or convenience store would have been quite easy to accomplish, but he explained to us he would not have done that.

Nonetheless, he states that those he met employed in unauthorized convenience stores during his work seemed "lost", especially those whose refugee application has been refused and who were in the legal challenge.

"They expended their entire savings to come to the UK, they had their refugee application refused and now they've forfeited all they had."

The other reporter agrees that these people seemed desperate.

"When [they] declare you're not allowed to be employed - but also [you]