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

A pair of Kurdish-background individuals consented to operate secretly to expose a operation behind illegal High Street establishments because the lawbreakers are causing harm the reputation of Kurdish people in the Britain, they explain.

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

The team discovered that a Kurdish-linked crime network was managing small shops, barbershops and vehicle cleaning services throughout the United Kingdom, and aimed to learn more about how it operated and who was taking part.

Armed with hidden cameras, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish-origin asylum seekers with no right to be employed, attempting to acquire and manage a convenience store from which to distribute illegal cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were able to reveal how easy it is for an individual in these circumstances to set up and manage a commercial operation on the main street in plain sight. Those participating, we found, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK citizenship to register the operations in their names, assisting to fool the government agencies.

Ali and Saman also were able to discreetly film one of those at the core of the organization, who claimed that he could erase official sanctions of up to sixty thousand pounds imposed on those employing illegal employees.

"Personally wanted to play a role in exposing these illegal practices [...] to declare that they do not characterize us," states one reporter, a former asylum seeker himself. Saman entered the country without authorization, having fled Kurdistan - a territory that straddles the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not internationally recognised as a nation - because his life was at risk.

The journalists admit that conflicts over illegal immigration are significant in the United Kingdom and say they have both been concerned that the probe could intensify hostilities.

But the other reporter states that the unauthorized labor "harms the whole Kurdish-origin community" and he considers obligated to "reveal it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Additionally, the journalist explains he was worried the coverage could be exploited by the radical right.

He says this especially affected him when he noticed that far-right activist Tommy Robinson's national unity rally was happening in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating undercover. Signs and flags could be seen at the gathering, showing "we want our nation back".

Saman and Ali have both been observing online reaction to the inquiry from inside the Kurdish community and say it has caused intense anger for some. One social media comment they spotted stated: "In what way can we find and locate [the undercover reporters] to kill them like animals!"

One more urged their families in the Kurdish region to be attacked.

They have also seen allegations that they were informants for the British government, and traitors to fellow Kurdish people. "Both of us are not informants, and we have no aim of harming the Kurdish-origin community," Saman explains. "Our goal is to uncover those who have damaged its image. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish identity and deeply concerned about the activities of such persons."

Most of those seeking refugee status state they are fleeing political discrimination, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a non-profit that supports asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the UK.

This was the situation for our covert journalist Saman, who, when he initially arrived to the UK, experienced challenges for years. He states he had to live on less than twenty pounds a per week while his asylum claim was considered.

Refugee applicants now are provided approximately £49 a per week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in shelter which offers meals, according to Home Office guidance.

"Honestly speaking, this is not enough to maintain a acceptable lifestyle," states Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because asylum seekers are largely prevented from working, he believes numerous are open to being taken advantage of and are effectively "forced to labor in the unofficial market for as low as £3 per hour".

A official for the government department stated: "The government are unapologetic for not granting refugee applicants the right to be employed - doing so would create an motivation for individuals to travel to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Refugee cases can take years to be processed with nearly a one-third requiring more than one year, according to government data from the late March this year.

Saman states being employed without authorization in a car wash, barbershop or convenience store would have been extremely easy to do, but he informed the team he would never have done that.

Nonetheless, he states that those he met laboring in illegal convenience stores during his research seemed "lost", notably those whose asylum claim has been rejected and who were in the legal challenge.

"They used all their funds to come to the UK, they had their refugee application rejected and now they've forfeited their entire investment."

The other reporter acknowledges that these people seemed desperate.

"When [they] say you're prohibited to work - but additionally [you]