The Reasons We Went Covert to Reveal Crime in the Kurdish-origin Population

Two Kurdish individuals decided to operate secretly to uncover a network behind unlawful commercial establishments because the wrongdoers are causing harm the standing of Kurds in the United Kingdom, they explain.

The pair, who we are referring to as Saman and Ali, are Kurdish-origin reporters who have both lived lawfully in the United Kingdom for many years.

The team discovered that a Kurdish criminal operation was managing small shops, hair salons and car washes throughout Britain, and aimed to discover more about how it operated and who was taking part.

Equipped with covert cameras, Ali and Saman presented themselves as Kurdish refugee applicants with no permission to work, attempting to buy and operate a convenience store from which to distribute unlawful tobacco products and vapes.

They were able to uncover how simple it is for someone in these situations to set up and run a business on the main street in plain sight. Those participating, we discovered, pay Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to register the enterprises in their identities, enabling to fool the authorities.

Saman and Ali also were able to discreetly record one of those at the heart of the operation, who claimed that he could eliminate official fines of up to sixty thousand pounds encountered those employing illegal laborers.

"Personally wanted to contribute in exposing these unlawful operations [...] to say that they don't characterize Kurdish people," explains one reporter, a ex- asylum seeker himself. Saman came to the country without authorization, having escaped from Kurdistan - a area that spans the borders of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not officially recognized as a country - because his well-being was at risk.

The reporters acknowledge that tensions over unauthorized migration are significant in the UK and say they have both been anxious that the investigation could worsen tensions.

But the other reporter states that the unauthorized working "harms the whole Kurdish population" and he considers obligated to "bring it [the criminal network] out into public view".

Separately, the journalist mentions he was anxious the coverage could be used by the radical right.

He explains this especially affected him when he noticed that radical right campaigner a prominent activist's Unite the Kingdom rally was taking place in London on one of the weekends he was working undercover. Placards and banners could be observed at the rally, displaying "we demand our country back".

The reporters have both been monitoring online response to the investigation from inside the Kurdish community and say it has caused intense outrage for some. One Facebook post they found stated: "How can we locate and locate [the undercover reporters] to harm them like dogs!"

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

They have also seen allegations that they were agents for the British government, and betrayers to other Kurdish people. "Both of us are not spies, and we have no desire of hurting the Kurdish population," Saman says. "Our aim is to expose those who have compromised its standing. Both journalists are proud of our Kurdish heritage and extremely concerned about the activities of such individuals."

Most of those applying for refugee status state they are fleeing political persecution, according to an expert from the a refugee support organization, a non-profit that assists asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the UK.

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

Refugee applicants now receive about £49 a per week - or £9.95 if they are in housing which provides food, according to Home Office regulations.

"Realistically speaking, this is not adequate to sustain a respectable lifestyle," says Mr Avicil from the RWCA.

Because asylum seekers are generally prevented from employment, he believes a significant number are vulnerable to being exploited and are essentially "forced to labor in the illegal sector for as low as £3 per hourly rate".

A official for the government department said: "We do not apologize for not granting refugee applicants the authorization to work - doing so would generate an reason for people to travel to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Refugee cases can require years to be decided with nearly a third taking over a year, according to official data from the spring this year.

Saman states being employed without authorization in a vehicle cleaning service, hair salon or convenience store would have been extremely easy to accomplish, but he explained to the team he would never have engaged in that.

Nevertheless, he says that those he met working in illegal convenience stores during his research seemed "confused", notably those whose refugee application has been rejected and who were in the appeal stage.

"These individuals spent their entire money to migrate to the United Kingdom, they had their asylum rejected and now they've forfeited their entire investment."

Ali acknowledges that these individuals seemed desperate.

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