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

A pair of Kurdish individuals agreed to operate secretly to expose a operation behind unlawful commercial enterprises because the lawbreakers are negatively affecting the image of Kurdish people in the United Kingdom, they say.

The two, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish-origin investigators who have both resided lawfully in the United Kingdom for years.

Investigators found that a Kurdish-linked illegal enterprise was operating small shops, barbershops and car washes the length of the United Kingdom, and aimed to find out more about how it worked and who was involved.

Armed with covert cameras, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish asylum seekers with no right to be employed, attempting to buy and operate a small shop from which to sell illegal cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were able to uncover how simple it is for an individual in these situations to start and manage a commercial operation on the main street in public view. Those involved, we learned, compensate Kurdish individuals who have UK citizenship to legally establish the enterprises in their identities, helping to mislead the officials.

Saman and Ali also managed to covertly record one of those at the core of the organization, who claimed that he could erase government penalties of up to sixty thousand pounds faced those employing unauthorized workers.

"Personally wanted to contribute in uncovering these unlawful operations [...] to say that they do not represent Kurdish people," states one reporter, a ex- refugee applicant personally. The reporter entered the UK without authorization, having fled the Kurdish region - a territory that straddles the borders of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a country - because his life was at danger.

The reporters admit that tensions over illegal migration are high in the UK and state they have both been anxious that the investigation could worsen conflicts.

But Ali says that the illegal employment "harms the entire Kurdish population" and he feels driven to "reveal it [the criminal network] out into the open".

Separately, the journalist says he was anxious the publication could be exploited by the extreme right.

He states this particularly impressed him when he realized that radical right activist a prominent activist's Unite the Kingdom protest was taking place in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating secretly. Banners and flags could be observed at the protest, displaying "we demand our nation back".

Both journalists have both been monitoring online reaction to the inquiry from inside the Kurdish-origin population and report it has sparked strong outrage for certain individuals. One Facebook post they spotted said: "In what way can we find and find [the undercover reporters] to attack them like animals!"

Another demanded their families in the Kurdish region to be attacked.

They have also encountered accusations that they were spies for the UK government, and traitors to other Kurdish people. "We are not spies, and we have no intention of damaging the Kurdish community," Saman says. "Our goal is to reveal those who have harmed its image. Both journalists are proud of our Kurdish-origin heritage and deeply concerned about the actions of such persons."

Most of those seeking asylum claim they are fleeing politically motivated persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a refugee support organization, a organization that assists refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the case for our undercover reporter Saman, who, when he initially arrived to the United Kingdom, faced difficulties for years. He says he had to survive on under twenty pounds a week while his asylum claim was processed.

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

"Realistically saying, this is not sufficient to sustain a dignified lifestyle," states Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are largely prohibited from employment, he thinks many are open to being manipulated and are effectively "obligated to work in the illegal market for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A representative for the government department said: "The government make no apology for not granting refugee applicants the right to be employed - granting this would generate an motivation for people to come to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Refugee cases can take years to be decided with almost a 33% requiring more than one year, according to government data from the spring this year.

The reporter says being employed illegally in a vehicle cleaning service, hair salon or convenience store would have been quite easy to accomplish, but he explained to us he would not have done that.

However, he explains that those he met working in illegal mini-marts during his investigation seemed "lost", particularly those whose refugee application has been denied and who were in the legal challenge.

"They spent their entire savings to travel to the UK, they had their refugee application denied and now they've sacrificed everything."

Ali agrees that these individuals seemed hopeless.

"When [they] say you're forbidden to work - but simultaneously [you]