The Reasons Our Team Chose to Go Undercover to Uncover Criminal Activity in the Kurdish-origin Community

A pair of Kurdish individuals consented to work covertly to reveal a network behind unlawful High Street enterprises because the criminals are causing harm the reputation of Kurdish people in the UK, they explain.

The pair, who we are referring to as Ali and Saman, are Kurdish-origin reporters who have both lived legally in the United Kingdom for a long time.

The team uncovered that a Kurdish-linked crime network was managing mini-marts, hair salons and car washes throughout Britain, and wanted to discover more about how it operated and who was participating.

Prepared with covert recording devices, Ali and Saman posed as Kurdish-origin refugee applicants with no permission to be employed, seeking to buy and run a small shop from which to distribute unlawful cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

They were able to discover how easy it is for an individual in these circumstances to set up and run a enterprise on the commercial area in full view. Those involved, we found, pay Kurds who have UK residency to legally establish the enterprises in their names, helping to fool the officials.

Saman and Ali also managed to discreetly record one of those at the core of the operation, who claimed that he could erase government sanctions of up to £60,000 encountered those using illegal workers.

"I aimed to participate in uncovering these unlawful practices [...] to declare that they do not represent Kurdish people," states Saman, a former refugee applicant personally. Saman entered the United Kingdom illegally, having fled the Kurdish region - a region that straddles the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a nation - because his life was at risk.

The journalists acknowledge that tensions over illegal migration are elevated in the United Kingdom and explain they have both been anxious that the inquiry could worsen tensions.

But the other reporter says that the unauthorized employment "damages the whole Kurdish community" and he considers driven to "expose it [the criminal network] out into the open".

Additionally, the journalist explains he was concerned the reporting could be exploited by the far-right.

He says this especially impressed him when he discovered that extreme right campaigner a prominent activist's national unity march was occurring in London on one of the weekends he was working secretly. Signs and flags could be seen at the rally, showing "we want our country back".

Saman and Ali have both been monitoring online feedback to the exposé from within the Kurdish-origin community and explain it has generated strong anger for some. One Facebook post they spotted said: "In what way can we find and locate [the undercover reporters] to kill them like animals!"

One more called for their relatives in Kurdistan to be slaughtered.

They have also encountered allegations that they were agents for the UK government, and traitors to fellow Kurdish people. "We are not spies, and we have no aim of harming the Kurdish community," Saman states. "Our goal is to uncover those who have compromised its standing. We are honored of our Kurdish identity and extremely troubled about the activities of such individuals."

Most of those seeking asylum claim they are fleeing political oppression, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a organization that assists asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the scenario for our undercover journalist Saman, who, when he initially came to the UK, experienced challenges for many years. He states he had to survive on less than twenty pounds a per week while his refugee application was processed.

Asylum seekers now receive approximately £49 a per week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in shelter which includes meals, according to Home Office policies.

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

Because refugee applicants are largely prohibited from employment, he feels numerous are open to being exploited and are practically "obligated to work in the black sector for as little as three pounds per hour".

A official for the government department commented: "The government make no apology for denying asylum seekers the authorization to be employed - doing so would create an reason for people to come to the United Kingdom illegally."

Refugee cases can take a long time to be resolved with nearly a 33% requiring more than 12 months, according to official data from the end of March this current year.

The reporter explains being employed without authorization in a car wash, barbershop or mini-mart would have been extremely straightforward to achieve, but he informed us he would never have done that.

However, he states that those he interviewed laboring in illegal mini-marts during his work seemed "lost", especially those whose refugee application has been refused and who were in the legal challenge.

"These individuals spent all their funds to come to the UK, they had their refugee application rejected and now they've forfeited their entire investment."

Ali acknowledges that these people seemed in dire straits.

"If [they] declare you're not allowed to work - but simultaneously [you]