The Reasons We Chose to Go Undercover to Uncover Crime in the Kurdish-origin Community

A pair of Kurdish men agreed to work covertly to reveal a network behind illegal commercial enterprises because the lawbreakers are damaging the standing of Kurdish people in the Britain, they say.

The pair, who we are calling Ali and Saman, are Kurdish-origin journalists who have both resided lawfully in the UK for many years.

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish crime network was operating small shops, hair salons and car washes the length of the United Kingdom, and aimed to find out more about how it functioned and who was participating.

Equipped with covert cameras, Saman and Ali posed as Kurdish-origin asylum seekers with no permission to work, looking to acquire and run a mini-mart from which to sell unlawful tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were successful to uncover how simple it is for a person in these circumstances to set up and run a commercial operation on the main street in plain sight. The individuals participating, we found, compensate Kurds who have UK citizenship to legally establish the businesses in their identities, assisting to mislead the officials.

Saman and Ali also succeeded to discreetly record one of those at the core of the organization, who asserted that he could eliminate government fines of up to £60k encountered those using illegal employees.

"Personally sought to contribute in uncovering these unlawful activities [...] to declare that they do not speak for our community," says Saman, a ex- asylum seeker personally. Saman came to the UK illegally, having fled Kurdistan - a territory that spans the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a state - because his safety was at risk.

The journalists recognize that disagreements over illegal immigration are elevated in the United Kingdom and explain they have both been concerned that the investigation could intensify conflicts.

But Ali explains that the unauthorized employment "damages the whole Kurdish-origin community" and he considers compelled to "expose it [the criminal network] out into the open".

Additionally, Ali explains he was concerned the reporting could be exploited by the far-right.

He states this notably struck him when he realized that radical right campaigner Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march was occurring in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working secretly. Banners and banners could be seen at the protest, showing "we demand our nation back".

The reporters have both been observing social media response to the inquiry from inside the Kurdish community and explain it has caused intense outrage for some. One social media comment they spotted stated: "How can we find and track [the undercover reporters] to harm them like animals!"

Another called for their relatives in the Kurdish region to be harmed.

They have also seen accusations that they were informants for the UK authorities, and betrayers to fellow Kurdish people. "Both of us are not informants, and we have no intention of hurting the Kurdish population," Saman explains. "Our goal is to expose those who have damaged its reputation. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish heritage and deeply worried about the behavior of such people."

Most of those seeking asylum claim they are escaping politically motivated persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a refugee support organization, a non-profit that helps asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.

This was the situation for our undercover journalist one investigator, who, when he first arrived to the UK, faced difficulties for many years. He explains he had to live on less than £20 a per week while his asylum claim was processed.

Asylum seekers now get about forty-nine pounds a week - or £9.95 if they are in shelter which provides meals, according to government guidance.

"Honestly saying, this is not enough to maintain a respectable life," states the expert from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are largely prevented from employment, he feels a significant number are open to being taken advantage of and are essentially "compelled to labor in the illegal market for as low as £3 per hour".

A spokesperson for the authorities said: "We are unapologetic for refusing to grant refugee applicants the permission to work - doing so would generate an incentive for people to come to the UK without authorization."

Refugee cases can take multiple years to be resolved with nearly a one-third requiring over 12 months, according to official data from the late March this year.

Saman explains being employed without authorization in a car wash, barbershop or convenience store would have been very easy to do, but he told the team he would never have participated in that.

Nevertheless, he states that those he met working in unauthorized mini-marts during his work seemed "lost", notably those whose refugee application has been rejected and who were in the appeal stage.

"These individuals spent their entire money to migrate to the United Kingdom, they had their asylum refused and now they've sacrificed their entire investment."

The other reporter concurs that these people seemed hopeless.

"If [they] declare you're prohibited to work - but simultaneously [you]