Why Our Team Went Covert to Uncover Crime in the Kurdish Population

Two Kurdish individuals agreed to go undercover to uncover a operation behind illegal High Street establishments because the lawbreakers are causing harm the image of Kurdish people in the Britain, they explain.

The pair, who we are calling Ali and Saman, are Kurdish-origin reporters who have both lived lawfully in the United Kingdom for years.

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish criminal operation was managing mini-marts, hair salons and vehicle cleaning services across the United Kingdom, and aimed to discover more about how it worked and who was involved.

Armed with hidden cameras, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish asylum seekers with no permission to work, seeking to buy and operate a convenience store from which to trade contraband tobacco products and vapes.

They were successful to discover how simple it is for someone in these situations to set up and run a commercial operation on the High Street in plain sight. The individuals involved, we learned, compensate Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to legally establish the operations in their identities, enabling to mislead the government agencies.

Ali and Saman also managed to covertly document one of those at the heart of the operation, who stated that he could remove government fines of up to £60,000 imposed on those using illegal employees.

"Personally sought to play a role in exposing these illegal activities [...] to say that they do not speak for Kurdish people," states Saman, a former asylum seeker himself. Saman came to the United Kingdom illegally, having fled the Kurdish region - a area that covers the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not officially recognized as a country - because his safety was at danger.

The reporters recognize that disagreements over unauthorized immigration are elevated in the UK and explain they have both been worried that the probe could worsen tensions.

But the other reporter says that the illegal labor "damages the whole Kurdish community" and he feels obligated to "expose it [the criminal network] out into the open".

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

He says this notably affected him when he realized that extreme right activist a prominent activist's national unity protest was occurring in the capital on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating secretly. Banners and banners could be observed at the protest, showing "we want our nation returned".

Both journalists have both been tracking social media feedback to the investigation from within the Kurdish population and explain it has caused intense frustration for certain individuals. One social media message they observed said: "In what way can we locate and locate [the undercover reporters] to attack them like dogs!"

A different demanded their relatives in Kurdistan to be harmed.

They have also seen accusations that they were agents for the UK government, and traitors to fellow Kurds. "Both of us are not informants, and we have no aim of harming the Kurdish community," Saman explains. "Our aim is to expose those who have damaged its reputation. Both journalists are proud of our Kurdish heritage and profoundly worried about the actions of such individuals."

Most of those applying for asylum claim they are fleeing politically motivated persecution, according to an expert from the a charitable organization, a non-profit that supports asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the UK.

This was the scenario for our covert reporter Saman, who, when he initially came to the United Kingdom, faced difficulties for years. He states he had to live on less than £20 a week while his refugee application was considered.

Asylum seekers now receive approximately £49 a per week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in housing which includes food, according to official guidance.

"Practically stating, this isn't adequate to maintain a dignified lifestyle," says the expert from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are generally prevented from employment, he feels a significant number are vulnerable to being taken advantage of and are practically "forced to work in the illegal economy for as low as three pounds per hour".

A official for the government department stated: "The government do not apologize for refusing to grant asylum seekers the right to be employed - granting this would generate an reason for people to migrate to the United Kingdom illegally."

Refugee cases can require multiple years to be decided with nearly a 33% taking more than a year, according to government data from the end of March this current year.

Saman says being employed illegally in a car wash, barbershop or mini-mart would have been extremely simple to do, but he explained to the team he would never have done that.

However, he explains that those he encountered working in illegal convenience stores during his work seemed "disoriented", especially those whose refugee application has been denied and who were in the legal challenge.

"These individuals expended all their money to travel to the UK, they had their asylum rejected and now they've forfeited everything."

Ali concurs that these people seemed desperate.

"If [they] declare you're prohibited to be employed - but also [you]