The Reasons We Went Covert to Reveal Criminal Activity in the Kurdish Population

A pair of Kurdish men decided to work covertly to expose a operation behind unlawful commercial businesses because the criminals are negatively affecting the reputation of Kurds in the Britain, they explain.

The two, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish journalists who have both lived legally in the UK for many years.

The team found that a Kurdish criminal operation was managing mini-marts, hair salons and car washes the length of the UK, and wanted to discover more about how it functioned and who was taking part.

Equipped with secret cameras, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish asylum seekers with no authorization to be employed, attempting to acquire and run a small shop from which to sell illegal cigarettes and vapes.

The investigators were successful to reveal how straightforward it is for an individual in these situations to establish and operate a commercial operation on the commercial area in plain sight. The individuals participating, we learned, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK citizenship to legally establish the enterprises in their names, assisting to deceive the officials.

Saman and Ali also were able to discreetly film one of those at the heart of the organization, who asserted that he could eliminate official penalties of up to £60,000 imposed on those hiring unauthorized employees.

"I wanted to contribute in exposing these illegal activities [...] to say that they don't speak for our community," states one reporter, a former refugee applicant personally. The reporter came to the country without authorization, having escaped from Kurdistan - a territory that straddles the boundaries of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not globally acknowledged as a country - because his safety was at danger.

The journalists acknowledge that tensions over illegal immigration are significant in the UK and say they have both been concerned that the inquiry could inflame conflicts.

But Ali explains that the illegal labor "harms the entire Kurdish-origin population" and he feels driven to "expose it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Separately, the journalist explains he was worried the publication could be seized upon by the extreme right.

He states this notably impressed him when he realized that far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom protest was taking place in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working undercover. Placards and flags could be seen at the rally, showing "we want our country returned".

Both journalists have both been tracking social media feedback to the exposé from within the Kurdish-origin community and report it has caused significant anger for certain individuals. One social media post they spotted stated: "In what way can we find and track [the undercover reporters] to attack them like animals!"

A different demanded their relatives in the Kurdish region to be slaughtered.

They have also read allegations that they were spies for the UK authorities, and betrayers to fellow Kurdish people. "We are not informants, and we have no aim of harming the Kurdish-origin population," Saman says. "Our objective is to uncover those who have harmed its standing. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish identity and profoundly troubled about the activities of such people."

Most of those seeking asylum state they are escaping political oppression, according to an expert from the a charitable organization, a non-profit that assists refugees and refugee applicants in the United Kingdom.

This was the case for our undercover reporter one investigator, who, when he first arrived to the United Kingdom, experienced challenges for many years. He states he had to survive on less than £20 a week while his asylum claim was processed.

Refugee applicants now get about forty-nine pounds a per week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in accommodation which provides food, according to Home Office policies.

"Realistically saying, this is not enough to support a respectable life," states Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because asylum seekers are mostly prevented from working, he feels a significant number are susceptible to being manipulated and are essentially "forced to labor in the illegal sector for as little as £3 per hourly rate".

A representative for the Home Office stated: "We do not apologize for denying refugee applicants the right to work - doing so would establish an incentive for people to migrate to the United Kingdom illegally."

Refugee cases can require years to be decided with almost a one-third taking over one year, according to official statistics from the late March this current year.

Saman states being employed illegally in a vehicle cleaning service, barbershop or convenience store would have been quite simple to achieve, but he explained to us he would never have engaged in that.

Nonetheless, he explains that those he encountered employed in illegal convenience stores during his investigation seemed "confused", particularly those whose refugee application has been denied and who were in the appeals process.

"These individuals spent all their money to migrate to the UK, they had their refugee application refused and now they've lost everything."

The other reporter agrees that these individuals seemed desperate.

"When [they] state you're not allowed to work - but additionally [you]