Why Our Team Chose to Go Covert to Reveal Criminal Activity in the Kurdish-origin Community

A pair of Kurdish-background men agreed to work covertly to expose a network behind unlawful commercial businesses because the wrongdoers are causing harm the standing of Kurds in the United Kingdom, they say.

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

The team discovered that a Kurdish crime network was running convenience stores, barbershops and car washes throughout Britain, and wanted to discover more about how it operated and who was taking part.

Armed with secret cameras, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish asylum seekers with no right to be employed, looking to acquire and manage a mini-mart from which to trade unlawful tobacco products and vapes.

They were able to uncover how easy it is for someone in these situations to start and manage a business on the High Street in full view. Those involved, we discovered, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to register the operations in their identities, enabling to fool the authorities.

Ali and Saman also were able to discreetly document one of those at the centre of the organization, who claimed that he could eliminate government penalties of up to sixty thousand pounds faced those employing illegal laborers.

"Personally aimed to contribute in uncovering these unlawful practices [...] to declare that they don't characterize Kurdish people," explains Saman, a former refugee applicant himself. Saman entered the UK illegally, having fled Kurdistan - a area that straddles the boundaries of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not officially recognized as a state - because his life was at risk.

The reporters recognize that conflicts over illegal immigration are elevated in the UK and explain they have both been worried that the investigation could inflame tensions.

But the other reporter explains that the illegal working "harms the entire Kurdish-origin community" and he feels driven to "bring it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Separately, the journalist mentions he was concerned the publication could be used by the radical right.

He explains this notably affected him when he realized that extreme right activist a prominent activist's national unity march was occurring in the capital on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working secretly. Banners and flags could be spotted at the gathering, displaying "we demand our country back".

The reporters have both been observing social media feedback to the exposé from within the Kurdish-origin population and explain it has caused strong frustration for some. One social media post they observed read: "In what way can we locate and track [the undercover reporters] to kill them like dogs!"

One more urged their relatives in Kurdistan to be attacked.

They have also read accusations that they were spies for the UK authorities, and betrayers to fellow Kurds. "We are not spies, and we have no aim of hurting the Kurdish population," one reporter says. "Our goal is to uncover those who have damaged its image. We are honored of our Kurdish-origin heritage and extremely worried about the behavior of such persons."

Most of those applying for refugee status claim they are fleeing political persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a refugee support organization, a non-profit that assists refugees and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.

This was the situation for our undercover reporter one investigator, who, when he first came to the United Kingdom, faced difficulties for many years. He says he had to live on under twenty pounds a per week while his asylum claim was reviewed.

Refugee applicants now get about £49 a week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in housing which includes food, according to Home Office guidance.

"Practically speaking, this is not adequate to maintain a acceptable life," says Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are mostly prevented from employment, he believes a significant number are susceptible to being exploited and are essentially "obligated to labor in the unofficial economy for as low as three pounds per hour".

A official for the government department commented: "We do not apologize for refusing to grant refugee applicants the permission to be employed - granting this would generate an incentive for people to travel to the UK without authorization."

Refugee cases can require years to be decided with almost a 33% requiring more than 12 months, according to government data from the spring this current year.

Saman explains being employed illegally in a vehicle cleaning service, barbershop or convenience store would have been quite simple to achieve, but he told the team he would never have engaged in that.

However, he says that those he encountered working in unauthorized mini-marts during his research seemed "disoriented", particularly those whose refugee application has been denied and who were in the appeal stage.

"They spent their entire savings to come to the UK, they had their refugee application rejected and now they've lost everything."

Ali acknowledges that these individuals seemed hopeless.

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