Why We Chose to Go Undercover to Expose Crime in the Kurdish-origin Population

Two Kurdish-background men decided to go undercover to uncover a operation behind illegal High Street establishments because the lawbreakers are causing harm the image of Kurds in the Britain, they explain.

The two, who we are calling Saman and Ali, are Kurdish journalists who have both resided lawfully in the United Kingdom for a long time.

Investigators discovered that a Kurdish criminal operation was managing mini-marts, barbershops and car washes throughout the United Kingdom, and wanted to find out more about how it worked and who was taking part.

Armed with hidden recording devices, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish-origin asylum seekers with no permission to be employed, looking to acquire and operate a mini-mart from which to sell contraband tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were able to uncover how easy it is for an individual in these circumstances to establish and run a business on the commercial area in plain sight. The individuals participating, we found, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to register the operations in their identities, helping to fool the officials.

Ali and Saman also succeeded to discreetly record one of those at the core of the network, who claimed that he could remove government sanctions of up to £60,000 faced those employing unauthorized workers.

"Personally wanted to contribute in uncovering these illegal activities [...] to say that they don't speak for Kurdish people," says one reporter, a former refugee applicant personally. The reporter came to the United Kingdom illegally, having escaped from Kurdistan - a territory that straddles the boundaries of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not globally acknowledged as a nation - because his well-being was at threat.

The reporters recognize that tensions over unauthorized migration are elevated in the UK and say they have both been concerned that the inquiry could intensify conflicts.

But the other reporter explains that the illegal employment "damages the whole Kurdish-origin population" and he feels driven to "bring it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

Furthermore, the journalist mentions he was worried the publication could be seized upon by the radical right.

He states this particularly affected him when he realized that far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson's national unity rally was happening in London on one of the weekends he was operating covertly. Signs and banners could be observed at the protest, reading "we want our country back".

Both journalists have both been tracking social media response to the investigation from inside the Kurdish community and report it has sparked intense frustration for certain individuals. One Facebook comment they spotted said: "How can we locate and find [the undercover reporters] to kill them like dogs!"

A different demanded their relatives in Kurdistan to be slaughtered.

They have also read allegations that they were spies for the UK government, and betrayers to other Kurdish people. "We are not spies, and we have no desire of harming the Kurdish community," Saman says. "Our goal is to uncover those who have damaged its reputation. We are proud of our Kurdish-origin heritage and deeply concerned about the actions of such individuals."

Most of those applying for asylum say they are fleeing politically motivated oppression, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a charitable organization, a non-profit that helps asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the scenario for our undercover reporter one investigator, who, when he initially arrived to the UK, experienced challenges for many years. He says he had to survive on less than £20 a per week while his refugee application was processed.

Refugee applicants now receive approximately forty-nine pounds a per week - or £9.95 if they are in shelter which provides food, according to government policies.

"Realistically stating, this isn't sufficient to maintain a respectable life," says Mr Avicil from the RWCA.

Because asylum seekers are largely prevented from employment, he feels a significant number are open to being manipulated and are effectively "compelled to labor in the illegal economy for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A official for the authorities said: "We make no apology for denying asylum seekers the permission to be employed - doing so would establish an reason for individuals to travel to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Asylum applications can take years to be resolved with approximately a 33% taking more than 12 months, according to government figures from the end of March this current year.

The reporter says working illegally in a vehicle cleaning service, barbershop or mini-mart would have been extremely easy to do, but he told us he would not have engaged in that.

However, he states that those he interviewed laboring in unauthorized convenience stores during his investigation seemed "lost", notably those whose refugee application has been refused and who were in the appeal stage.

"These individuals spent their entire savings to come to the UK, they had their asylum denied and now they've sacrificed their entire investment."

Ali agrees that these people seemed desperate.

"If [they] say you're prohibited to be employed - but simultaneously [you]