The Reasons Our Team Went Covert to Reveal Criminal Activity in the Kurdish Population

Two Kurdish-background men consented to operate secretly to uncover a organization behind illegal commercial establishments because the wrongdoers are damaging the image of Kurdish people in the Britain, they say.

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

Investigators uncovered that a Kurdish-linked crime network was operating mini-marts, barbershops and car washes across the United Kingdom, and aimed to discover more about how it functioned and who was involved.

Equipped with hidden cameras, Ali and Saman posed as Kurdish-origin refugee applicants with no permission to work, looking to buy and operate a convenience store from which to trade unlawful tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

The investigators were successful to uncover how easy it is for someone in these circumstances to set up and manage a commercial operation on the commercial area in full view. Those participating, we learned, compensate Kurdish individuals who have UK residency to register the enterprises in their identities, assisting to deceive the officials.

Saman and Ali also succeeded to discreetly record one of those at the centre of the organization, who claimed that he could erase government penalties of up to £60k faced those employing unauthorized workers.

"Personally sought to participate in revealing these illegal activities [...] to declare that they don't represent us," states one reporter, a ex- refugee applicant himself. Saman entered the country without authorization, having escaped from the Kurdish region - a area that spans the borders of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria but which is not globally acknowledged as a country - because his life was at threat.

The journalists admit that tensions over illegal migration are high in the United Kingdom and say they have both been concerned that the inquiry could worsen hostilities.

But the other reporter states that the unauthorized employment "harms the entire Kurdish population" and he feels driven to "bring it [the criminal network] out into broad daylight".

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

He says this especially struck him when he noticed that extreme right campaigner a prominent activist's national unity march was happening in London on one of the Saturdays and Sundays he was working covertly. Placards and banners could be seen at the gathering, displaying "we want our nation back".

The reporters have both been monitoring online reaction to the inquiry from within the Kurdish-origin population and say it has caused significant outrage for some. One social media message they observed said: "In what way can we locate and locate [the undercover reporters] to attack them like dogs!"

Another called for their families in Kurdistan to be harmed.

They have also read allegations that they were spies for the UK government, and betrayers to fellow Kurdish people. "Both of us are not spies, and we have no desire of damaging the Kurdish population," one reporter says. "Our goal is to expose those who have damaged its image. Both journalists are honored of our Kurdish identity and extremely troubled about the actions of such people."

Most of those seeking refugee status say they are escaping political oppression, according to an expert from the a charitable organization, a charity that assists asylum seekers and refugee applicants in the United Kingdom.

This was the situation for our undercover reporter Saman, who, when he initially came to the UK, struggled for years. He states he had to live on less than £20 a per week while his refugee application was processed.

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

"Practically stating, this is not adequate to support a respectable lifestyle," explains Mr Avicil from the the organization.

Because asylum seekers are largely prevented from employment, he believes a significant number are vulnerable to being exploited and are practically "obligated to labor in the unofficial market for as little as £3 per hourly rate".

A official for the Home Office stated: "We make no apology for denying asylum seekers the right to work - granting this would establish an reason for individuals to travel to the UK illegally."

Asylum applications can take years to be resolved with almost a third requiring over one year, according to government statistics from the end of March this year.

The reporter explains being employed without authorization in a vehicle cleaning service, hair salon or convenience store would have been quite easy to achieve, but he explained to us he would not have done that.

Nonetheless, he states that those he met employed in unauthorized mini-marts during his research seemed "disoriented", especially those whose asylum claim has been refused and who were in the legal challenge.

"They spent all of their funds to come to the United Kingdom, they had their asylum rejected and now they've forfeited their entire investment."

The other reporter agrees that these individuals seemed in dire straits.

"If [they] state you're forbidden to be employed - but simultaneously [you]