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

A pair of Kurdish men decided to operate secretly to expose a organization behind illegal main street establishments because the criminals are damaging the reputation of Kurds in the United Kingdom, they say.

The two, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish-origin journalists who have both lived lawfully in the UK for years.

Investigators discovered that a Kurdish-linked illegal enterprise was operating mini-marts, barbershops and car washes the length of the UK, and wanted to discover more about how it functioned and who was participating.

Armed with covert cameras, Saman and Ali presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no permission to work, attempting to acquire and operate a small shop from which to trade contraband tobacco products and vapes.

They were able to discover how straightforward it is for an individual in these conditions to establish and manage a commercial operation on the High Street in plain sight. The individuals involved, we learned, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK citizenship to register the operations in their names, helping to fool the officials.

Ali and Saman also succeeded to secretly document one of those at the heart of the operation, who claimed that he could erase government penalties of up to £60k encountered those using illegal employees.

"Personally wanted to contribute in exposing these illegal practices [...] to loudly proclaim that they don't represent our community," explains one reporter, a former asylum seeker himself. The reporter entered the United Kingdom without authorization, having fled Kurdistan - a territory that straddles the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not globally acknowledged as a nation - because his well-being was at danger.

The reporters admit that conflicts over unauthorized immigration are high in the UK and explain they have both been anxious that the probe could inflame hostilities.

But the other reporter says that the illegal working "negatively affects the whole Kurdish population" and he believes compelled to "bring it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Separately, the journalist explains he was anxious the reporting could be exploited by the far-right.

He explains this especially impressed him when he noticed that extreme right campaigner Tommy Robinson's national unity march was happening in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was operating covertly. Placards and banners could be seen at the rally, reading "we want our country back".

The reporters have both been observing social media reaction to the inquiry from inside the Kurdish population and explain it has generated strong anger for some. One Facebook message they found read: "How can we locate and find [the undercover reporters] to harm them like animals!"

A different called for their families in the Kurdish region to be slaughtered.

They have also seen accusations that they were informants for the UK authorities, and traitors to fellow Kurds. "We are not spies, and we have no intention of damaging the Kurdish-origin population," Saman says. "Our aim is to reveal those who have harmed its image. Both journalists are proud of our Kurdish-origin identity and deeply troubled about the activities of such people."

The majority of those applying for refugee status claim they are fleeing politically motivated persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a refugee support organization, a organization that supports refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

This was the situation for our covert journalist Saman, who, when he first arrived to the United Kingdom, experienced challenges for many years. He explains he had to live on less than twenty pounds a per week while his asylum claim was processed.

Asylum seekers now are provided about £49 a week - or £9.95 if they are in accommodation which provides meals, according to official guidance.

"Honestly stating, this isn't enough to maintain a dignified lifestyle," explains Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because refugee applicants are generally restricted from employment, he believes a significant number are susceptible to being manipulated and are essentially "compelled to work in the unofficial market for as little as three pounds per hour".

A spokesperson for the government department commented: "The government make no apology for denying asylum seekers the right to work - granting this would generate an motivation for people to migrate to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Refugee applications can take a long time to be processed with nearly a 33% requiring more than a year, according to official data from the spring this year.

The reporter states being employed illegally in a car wash, hair salon or convenience store would have been quite easy to accomplish, but he informed the team he would not have participated in that.

However, he states that those he interviewed working in illegal convenience stores during his investigation seemed "disoriented", particularly those whose asylum claim has been denied and who were in the legal challenge.

"These individuals spent their entire money to travel to the United Kingdom, they had their refugee application denied and now they've lost their entire investment."

The other reporter concurs that these people seemed desperate.

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