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

A pair of Kurdish men consented to work covertly to reveal a operation behind illegal main street establishments because the lawbreakers are negatively affecting the standing of Kurds in the United Kingdom, they explain.

The pair, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish reporters who have both lived lawfully in the UK for a long time.

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish-linked criminal operation was running convenience stores, barbershops and car washes the length of the UK, and sought to find out more about how it functioned and who was participating.

Prepared with secret recording devices, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no permission to be employed, seeking to acquire and manage a mini-mart from which to sell unlawful tobacco products and vapes.

The investigators were successful to reveal how easy it is for an individual in these conditions to set up and run a business on the commercial area in public view. The individuals involved, we found, pay Kurds who have British citizenship to legally establish the enterprises in their names, assisting to mislead the authorities.

Ali and Saman also were able to covertly film one of those at the core of the organization, who claimed that he could eliminate official fines of up to sixty thousand pounds imposed on those hiring illegal employees.

"I sought to play a role in exposing these unlawful operations [...] to declare that they do not represent Kurdish people," says one reporter, a former asylum seeker himself. The reporter came to the country illegally, having fled Kurdistan - a region that straddles the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not internationally recognised as a country - because his safety was at danger.

The reporters recognize that conflicts over unauthorized immigration are elevated in the United Kingdom and say they have both been anxious that the investigation could inflame conflicts.

But the other reporter says that the unauthorized employment "damages the entire Kurdish-origin community" and he considers compelled to "expose it [the criminal network] out into the open".

Additionally, Ali says he was worried the coverage could be used by the far-right.

He says this notably struck him when he realized that far-right activist a prominent activist's national unity rally was occurring in the capital on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working secretly. Signs and flags could be observed at the rally, showing "we demand our nation returned".

Both journalists have both been monitoring online response to the investigation from within the Kurdish population and say it has generated significant anger for some. One Facebook post they observed read: "How can we identify and track [the undercover reporters] to kill them like animals!"

Another urged their families in the Kurdish region to be attacked.

They have also seen accusations that they were agents for the British government, and traitors to other Kurdish people. "We are not informants, and we have no intention of damaging the Kurdish community," one reporter says. "Our goal is to uncover those who have damaged its standing. We are proud of our Kurdish identity and deeply concerned about the activities of such people."

Most of those applying for refugee status state they are fleeing political discrimination, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a charitable organization, a charity that helps asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the scenario for our undercover journalist Saman, who, when he first came to the United Kingdom, struggled for many years. He explains he had to live on under £20 a per week while his refugee application was reviewed.

Refugee applicants now are provided approximately £49 a week - or £9.95 if they are in accommodation which provides food, according to government guidance.

"Practically saying, this is not adequate to maintain a acceptable lifestyle," explains Mr Avicil from the RWCA.

Because asylum seekers are mostly restricted from employment, he believes many are vulnerable to being taken advantage of and are essentially "compelled to work in the unofficial sector for as little as £3 per hourly rate".

A official for the Home Office said: "The government are unapologetic for refusing to grant asylum seekers the permission to work - doing so would establish an incentive for individuals to come to the UK illegally."

Asylum cases can take years to be processed with nearly a one-third taking more than 12 months, according to official statistics from the late March this current year.

The reporter states being employed illegally in a car wash, barbershop or mini-mart would have been extremely straightforward to do, but he informed us he would never have done that.

However, he says that those he met working in illegal mini-marts during his investigation seemed "disoriented", especially those whose asylum claim has been rejected and who were in the appeal stage.

"They expended all their funds to travel to the United Kingdom, they had their refugee application denied and now they've forfeited all they had."

Ali concurs that these people seemed in dire straits.

"If [they] declare you're forbidden to work - but additionally [you]