Why Our Team Went Covert to Uncover Criminal Activity in the Kurdish-origin Population

Two Kurdish-background men consented to operate secretly to expose a organization behind unlawful main street enterprises because the criminals are damaging the image of Kurdish people in the UK, they say.

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

Investigators found that a Kurdish crime network was running small shops, hair salons and car washes across the UK, and wanted to find out more about how it worked and who was taking part.

Armed with covert recording devices, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no permission to work, seeking to purchase and manage a mini-mart from which to sell unlawful tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were able to reveal how easy it is for a person in these circumstances to start and operate a commercial operation on the High Street in public view. Those participating, we learned, compensate Kurdish individuals who have UK citizenship to register the operations in their names, helping to deceive the authorities.

Ali and Saman also were able to secretly record one of those at the core of the organization, who stated that he could erase official fines of up to £60,000 faced those hiring unauthorized laborers.

"I sought to participate in revealing these illegal practices [...] to declare that they do not represent our community," states one reporter, a former refugee applicant himself. The reporter entered the United Kingdom without authorization, having fled Kurdistan - a area that covers the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a nation - because his well-being was at risk.

The investigators acknowledge that tensions over illegal migration are significant in the UK and explain they have both been concerned that the inquiry could worsen hostilities.

But the other reporter says that the illegal labor "damages the entire Kurdish-origin population" and he considers compelled to "expose it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

Furthermore, the journalist says he was worried the reporting could be exploited by the far-right.

He states this notably affected him when he realized that radical right activist Tommy Robinson's Unite the Kingdom march was taking place in the capital on one of the weekends he was operating covertly. Banners and banners could be spotted at the protest, showing "we demand our nation returned".

Both journalists have both been observing online reaction to the exposé from within the Kurdish population and explain it has caused strong anger for certain individuals. One Facebook post they observed said: "In what way can we locate and find [the undercover reporters] to harm them like dogs!"

A different demanded their relatives in Kurdistan to be slaughtered.

They have also encountered accusations that they were spies for the British government, and traitors to other Kurds. "Both of us are not spies, and we have no desire of hurting the Kurdish-origin population," one reporter explains. "Our goal is to reveal those who have compromised its image. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish heritage and deeply troubled about the actions of such individuals."

The majority of those applying for refugee status state they are escaping political oppression, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a non-profit that helps refugees and refugee applicants in the United Kingdom.

This was the case for our covert reporter one investigator, who, when he initially arrived to the UK, experienced challenges for years. He explains he had to live on under £20 a per week while his refugee application was reviewed.

Refugee applicants now receive approximately £49 a week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in shelter which offers food, according to official policies.

"Honestly speaking, this is not adequate to support a acceptable lifestyle," says the expert from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are mostly restricted from employment, he feels a significant number are susceptible to being manipulated and are essentially "obligated to work in the illegal market for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A official for the government department stated: "We make no apology for not granting refugee applicants the permission to work - doing so would establish an motivation for people to come to the UK without authorization."

Refugee applications can take multiple years to be decided with nearly a one-third requiring more than one year, according to government statistics from the end of March this current year.

The reporter says being employed without authorization in a car wash, hair salon or mini-mart would have been quite straightforward to achieve, but he informed us he would never have participated in that.

However, he states that those he met employed in unauthorized convenience stores during his work seemed "lost", especially those whose refugee application has been denied and who were in the appeal stage.

"They used all of their funds to migrate to the United Kingdom, they had their refugee application refused and now they've forfeited their entire investment."

The other reporter concurs that these individuals seemed hopeless.

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