The Reasons We Chose to Go Undercover to Reveal Crime in the Kurdish-origin Population

Two Kurdish-background men consented to operate secretly to expose a operation behind unlawful commercial enterprises because the wrongdoers are negatively affecting the standing of Kurds in the UK, they say.

The pair, who we are referring to as Ali and Saman, are Kurdish reporters who have both resided lawfully in the UK for years.

Investigators found that a Kurdish-linked illegal enterprise was operating mini-marts, barbershops and vehicle cleaning services throughout the UK, and sought to discover more about how it operated and who was taking part.

Armed with secret cameras, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no authorization to be employed, looking to acquire and operate a mini-mart from which to trade unlawful cigarettes and vapes.

The investigators were successful to uncover how straightforward it is for someone in these situations to set up and run a business on the main street in plain sight. Those participating, we learned, pay Kurdish individuals who have British citizenship to legally establish the businesses in their identities, assisting to deceive the officials.

Saman and Ali also were able to covertly document one of those at the heart of the operation, who claimed that he could eliminate official penalties of up to sixty thousand pounds faced those using unauthorized laborers.

"Personally wanted to contribute in revealing these illegal operations [...] to say that they don't represent Kurdish people," states Saman, a ex- refugee applicant personally. The reporter entered the country without authorization, having fled Kurdistan - a territory that spans the borders of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not globally acknowledged as a nation - because his life was at danger.

The journalists admit that conflicts over illegal migration are elevated in the United Kingdom and explain they have both been concerned that the investigation could intensify tensions.

But the other reporter explains that the illegal working "harms the entire Kurdish-origin population" and he considers compelled to "reveal it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

Furthermore, the journalist mentions he was concerned the coverage could be exploited by the radical right.

He states this especially impressed him when he discovered that far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson's national unity protest was occurring in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working secretly. Signs and banners could be seen at the protest, displaying "we want our country returned".

Both journalists have both been observing online response to the exposé from within the Kurdish-origin population and report it has sparked strong outrage for certain individuals. One Facebook post they spotted read: "In what way can we find and locate [the undercover reporters] to kill them like animals!"

Another urged their families in Kurdistan to be attacked.

They have also seen allegations that they were informants for the UK authorities, and betrayers to fellow Kurds. "We are not informants, and we have no desire of damaging the Kurdish-origin community," one reporter says. "Our aim is to expose those who have damaged its standing. We are honored of our Kurdish-origin heritage and extremely troubled about the actions of such persons."

The majority of those applying for refugee status say they are fleeing political oppression, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a organization that supports asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the situation for our undercover reporter Saman, who, when he initially came to the UK, experienced challenges for years. He explains he had to live on under twenty pounds a week while his asylum claim was considered.

Asylum seekers now are provided approximately forty-nine pounds a per week - or £9.95 if they are in housing which offers meals, according to government policies.

"Honestly speaking, this is not sufficient to support a acceptable lifestyle," explains the expert from the RWCA.

Because refugee applicants are generally prohibited from working, he believes many are susceptible to being manipulated and are practically "obligated to work in the unofficial sector for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A official for the Home Office said: "We do not apologize for refusing to grant asylum seekers the permission to be employed - doing so would establish an incentive for people to travel to the UK illegally."

Refugee cases can take a long time to be decided with approximately a one-third requiring more than 12 months, according to government figures from the late March this current year.

Saman states working illegally in a car wash, hair salon or mini-mart would have been very simple to do, but he told the team he would not have participated in that.

Nevertheless, he explains that those he met laboring in illegal mini-marts during his research seemed "confused", particularly those whose refugee application has been rejected and who were in the appeal stage.

"They spent their entire savings to travel to the UK, they had their asylum refused and now they've lost everything."

The other reporter agrees that these individuals seemed desperate.

"If [they] say you're not allowed to work - but additionally [you]