The Reasons We Chose to Go Covert to Reveal Criminal Activity in the Kurdish-origin Population

A pair of Kurdish men decided to operate secretly to reveal a operation behind illegal commercial establishments because the criminals are causing harm the image of Kurdish people in the United Kingdom, they explain.

The pair, who we are referring to as Ali and Saman, are Kurdish-origin journalists who have both resided legally in the UK for many years.

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish crime network was operating mini-marts, hair salons and vehicle cleaning services the length of Britain, and sought to learn more about how it worked and who was taking part.

Armed with secret recording devices, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no right to work, seeking to acquire and manage a small shop from which to distribute illegal tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

They were able to uncover how easy it is for a person in these situations to start and operate a commercial operation on the High Street in full view. The individuals participating, we learned, pay Kurds who have British citizenship to legally establish the enterprises in their identities, enabling to mislead the authorities.

Saman and Ali also were able to secretly record one of those at the core of the organization, who stated that he could eliminate government sanctions of up to £60k faced those employing unauthorized laborers.

"I wanted to play a role in revealing these illegal practices [...] to say that they don't represent Kurdish people," explains Saman, a former asylum seeker himself. Saman came to the UK without authorization, having escaped from Kurdistan - a region that covers the borders of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a country - because his life was at threat.

The investigators admit that tensions over illegal immigration are elevated in the United Kingdom and state they have both been concerned that the inquiry could worsen tensions.

But the other reporter explains that the illegal employment "damages the entire Kurdish community" and he feels compelled to "bring it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Additionally, the journalist says he was concerned the publication could be used by the far-right.

He says this notably impressed him when he noticed that extreme right activist a prominent activist's national unity protest was happening in the capital on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating undercover. Banners and banners could be seen at the gathering, displaying "we want our country returned".

Saman and Ali have both been tracking online feedback to the inquiry from within the Kurdish population and explain it has caused significant frustration for certain individuals. One Facebook comment they spotted read: "In what way can we identify and locate [the undercover reporters] to harm them like dogs!"

A different urged their relatives in the Kurdish region to be slaughtered.

They have also seen claims that they were informants for the British authorities, and traitors to other Kurdish people. "We are not informants, and we have no intention of hurting the Kurdish community," one reporter explains. "Our goal is to expose those who have damaged its reputation. We are proud of our Kurdish-origin identity and extremely worried about the activities of such persons."

The majority of those seeking asylum state they are escaping politically motivated persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the Refugee Workers Cultural Association, a organization that assists asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the UK.

This was the situation for our covert journalist Saman, who, when he first came to the United Kingdom, experienced challenges for many years. He says he had to live on less than twenty pounds a week while his asylum claim was considered.

Asylum seekers now are provided approximately £49 a per week - or £9.95 if they are in housing which provides food, according to Home Office regulations.

"Realistically saying, this is not enough to maintain a dignified life," says Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are mostly restricted from employment, he thinks numerous are susceptible to being manipulated and are practically "forced to work in the unofficial sector for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: "We are unapologetic for denying asylum seekers the right to work - doing so would create an reason for individuals to migrate to the UK illegally."

Refugee cases can take a long time to be decided with nearly a third taking more than 12 months, according to government statistics from the end of March this current year.

Saman states working illegally in a car wash, barbershop or mini-mart would have been quite easy to accomplish, but he told us he would not have engaged in that.

Nonetheless, he explains that those he met working in unauthorized mini-marts during his work seemed "disoriented", notably those whose asylum claim has been rejected and who were in the appeals process.

"These individuals used their entire savings to come to the United Kingdom, they had their refugee application refused and now they've sacrificed everything."

The other reporter agrees that these individuals seemed desperate.

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