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

A pair of Kurdish-background men agreed to operate secretly to reveal a operation behind illegal High Street enterprises because the wrongdoers are negatively affecting the image of Kurdish people in the UK, they explain.

The two, who we are calling Ali and Saman, are Kurdish-origin reporters who have both resided legally in the UK for years.

Investigators found that a Kurdish illegal enterprise was operating mini-marts, hair salons and car washes across the UK, and wanted to find out more about how it worked and who was taking part.

Equipped with covert cameras, Ali and Saman posed as Kurdish-origin refugee applicants with no right to work, attempting to buy and manage a mini-mart from which to trade illegal cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

They were able to discover how straightforward it is for someone in these situations to establish and manage a business on the commercial area in plain sight. Those involved, we learned, pay Kurds who have British citizenship to register the operations in their names, enabling to mislead the officials.

Saman and Ali also succeeded to discreetly document one of those at the centre of the organization, who stated that he could eliminate official penalties of up to sixty thousand pounds faced those hiring illegal workers.

"Personally wanted to contribute in revealing these illegal operations [...] to loudly proclaim that they do not characterize us," says Saman, a former asylum seeker himself. The reporter came to the UK without authorization, having escaped from Kurdistan - a territory that spans the boundaries of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not globally acknowledged as a country - because his safety was at danger.

The reporters admit that disagreements over illegal immigration are significant in the UK and state they have both been worried that the inquiry could intensify conflicts.

But Ali says that the unauthorized working "harms the whole Kurdish population" and he considers compelled to "bring it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Furthermore, Ali explains he was anxious the reporting could be used by the far-right.

He says this notably impressed him when he realized that extreme right activist Tommy Robinson's national unity march was taking place in the capital on one of the weekends he was operating secretly. Placards and banners could be observed at the rally, reading "we want our country returned".

The reporters have both been tracking online reaction to the investigation from within the Kurdish community and explain it has generated significant anger for some. One Facebook post they found read: "How can we identify and track [the undercover reporters] to harm them like dogs!"

One more urged their families in Kurdistan to be harmed.

They have also encountered claims that they were spies for the UK authorities, and traitors to other Kurdish people. "We are not spies, and we have no aim of hurting the Kurdish-origin population," Saman explains. "Our goal is to reveal those who have harmed its reputation. We are honored of our Kurdish identity and deeply concerned about the behavior of such persons."

Most of those applying for asylum state they are escaping politically motivated discrimination, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a organization that supports refugees and refugee applicants in the United Kingdom.

This was the scenario for our covert reporter one investigator, who, when he initially arrived to the UK, faced difficulties for years. He states he had to survive on under twenty pounds a per week while his asylum claim was processed.

Refugee applicants now are provided approximately £49 a week - or £9.95 if they are in accommodation which provides food, according to Home Office policies.

"Practically speaking, this isn't adequate to sustain a dignified existence," states Mr Avicil from the RWCA.

Because asylum seekers are largely restricted from employment, he feels numerous are vulnerable to being taken advantage of and are practically "forced to labor in the black market for as low as £3 per hour".

A representative for the Home Office commented: "We are unapologetic for not granting refugee applicants the right to be employed - granting this would establish an incentive for individuals to travel to the United Kingdom illegally."

Refugee applications can take multiple years to be decided with approximately a one-third requiring more than a year, according to official data from the spring this current year.

Saman explains being employed illegally in a car wash, barbershop or convenience store would have been very easy to do, but he informed the team he would not have engaged in that.

Nevertheless, he states that those he encountered laboring in illegal mini-marts during his research seemed "lost", particularly those whose refugee application has been rejected and who were in the legal challenge.

"These individuals spent all of their funds to come to the United Kingdom, they had their refugee application denied and now they've lost their entire investment."

Ali agrees that these people seemed in dire straits.

"When [they] state you're forbidden to work - but also [you]