The Reasons We Chose to Go Undercover to Uncover Crime in the Kurdish Population

Two Kurdish individuals consented to operate secretly to uncover a network behind unlawful High Street enterprises because the criminals are damaging the standing of Kurdish people in the Britain, they say.

The two, who we are calling Ali and Saman, are Kurdish investigators who have both resided legally in the UK for years.

The team uncovered that a Kurdish crime network was operating small shops, hair salons and vehicle cleaning services the length of the UK, and aimed to discover more about how it functioned and who was taking part.

Prepared with hidden recording devices, Saman and Ali posed as Kurdish refugee applicants with no right to work, attempting to buy and operate a mini-mart from which to distribute contraband cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.

They were able to reveal how easy it is for a person in these circumstances to establish and manage a enterprise on the commercial area in full view. Those involved, we found, compensate Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to register the businesses in their identities, enabling to mislead the government agencies.

Ali and Saman also managed to covertly record one of those at the centre of the operation, who asserted that he could eliminate government fines of up to £60k faced those using illegal laborers.

"I aimed to contribute in uncovering these unlawful activities [...] to declare that they do not represent our community," explains one reporter, a former refugee applicant personally. The reporter entered the UK illegally, having fled Kurdistan - a region that spans the boundaries of multiple Middle Eastern countries but which is not internationally recognised as a country - because his safety was at danger.

The reporters acknowledge that conflicts over illegal migration are elevated in the UK and explain they have both been concerned that the probe could inflame tensions.

But the other reporter explains that the unauthorized working "negatively affects the whole Kurdish-origin population" and he believes obligated to "bring it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

Additionally, the journalist mentions he was worried the coverage could be seized upon by the far-right.

He explains this notably impressed him when he noticed that far-right activist a prominent activist's national unity march was occurring in the capital on one of the weekends he was operating covertly. Signs and flags could be seen at the protest, showing "we demand our nation returned".

Both journalists have both been tracking social media reaction to the inquiry from within the Kurdish community and explain it has generated significant frustration for some. One Facebook message they found stated: "How can we identify and track [the undercover reporters] to harm them like dogs!"

A different demanded their relatives in the Kurdish region to be attacked.

They have also seen allegations that they were spies for the British authorities, and traitors to fellow Kurdish people. "Both of us are not informants, and we have no intention of damaging the Kurdish community," one reporter explains. "Our goal is to expose those who have harmed its standing. We are proud of our Kurdish-origin heritage and deeply worried about the behavior of such individuals."

Most of those applying for asylum claim they are escaping political persecution, according to Ibrahim Avicil from the a refugee support organization, a organization that assists asylum seekers and asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.

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

Refugee applicants now receive approximately £49 a per week - or nine pounds ninety-five if they are in accommodation which offers meals, according to government guidance.

"Honestly stating, this is not adequate to sustain a respectable life," says Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because asylum seekers are largely prevented from working, he believes numerous are susceptible to being manipulated and are essentially "compelled to labor in the black sector for as little as three pounds per hourly rate".

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: "The government are unapologetic for denying refugee applicants the permission to work - granting this would establish an reason for people to travel to the United Kingdom without authorization."

Asylum applications can take years to be processed with approximately a one-third requiring more than a year, according to official figures from the end of March this current year.

Saman says being employed illegally in a vehicle cleaning service, barbershop or convenience store would have been quite easy to achieve, but he explained to the team he would not have done that.

Nevertheless, he explains that those he interviewed employed in illegal convenience stores during his investigation seemed "lost", notably those whose refugee application has been rejected and who were in the appeal stage.

"These individuals spent all of their money to travel to the UK, they had their asylum denied and now they've forfeited all they had."

Ali agrees that these individuals seemed hopeless.

"When [they] say you're forbidden to be employed - but also [you]