Crime fixer caught by BBC offering to erase £60k fines on migrant workers | BBC News

Key Concepts

• Organized Crime Network: A group of individuals involved in illegal activities for profit, operating businesses to facilitate illegal immigration and employment.
• Black Economy: Unreported and untaxed economic activity, often involving illegal labor.
• Illegal Working: Employment of individuals without the legal right to work in the UK.
• Immigration Crime Gang: A criminal organization specializing in facilitating illegal immigration and related offenses.
• High Street Businesses: Retail establishments located on main commercial streets, used as fronts for illegal operations.
• Mini Marts/Convenience Stores: Small retail outlets frequently used in the described network.
• Asylum Seeker: An individual seeking international protection in a country.
• Right to Work Status: Legal authorization to be employed in the UK.
• Immigration Fines: Penalties imposed for employing individuals without the right to work.
• Fraud Act: Legislation criminalizing fraudulent activities, including the creation of false documents.
• Paralegal: A legal professional who assists lawyers but is not a qualified solicitor or barrister.
• Trading Standards: A government body responsible for enforcing consumer protection laws.
• Small Boats: A reference to migrants arriving in the UK via small vessels, often associated with illegal immigration.

Investigation into Organized Crime and Illegal Immigration

This report details a year-long undercover investigation exposing an organized crime network operating high street businesses across Britain to facilitate illegal working for migrants. The investigation highlights individuals who provide the expertise and services that allow these "dodgy businesses" to flourish within the black economy.

The "Accountant" and Facilitating Illegal Operations

The investigation's undercover reporter met with a Kurdish individual known as "Shakawan," who presented himself as an "accountant" capable of setting up high street mini marts without issues. Shakawan believed he was meeting an asylum seeker without the right to work and discussed setting up a mini mart for the purpose of selling illegal cigarettes.

Key Details:

• Shakawan's Offer: To set up a mini mart for a fee, with no apparent legal complications.
• Target Business: A mini mart intended for selling illegal cigarettes.
• Facilitating Illegal Status: Shakawan proposed naming a Kurdish man, identified as "Zada," on official papers. This would allow the undercover reporter, as an asylum seeker without the right to work, to control the mini mart and deceive law enforcement.
• Zada's Involvement: Zada, though unresponsive to questions, has been linked to approximately 20 mini marts and car washes.

Erasing Immigration Fines and False Documentation

A significant revelation from Shakawan was his claim that he could "remove" and "wipe" fines for illegal working. He stated he had a group working to reduce immigration fines to zero.

Key Details:

• Claim: Ability to eliminate immigration fines for illegal working.
• Methodology: Shakawan indicated a group was actively working on this issue.

Testing Shakawan's Claims: The Solicitors' Office

Weeks later, a second undercover reporter, posing as a Kurdish mini mart owner with an illegal working fine, met with Shakawan. Shakawan was identified as working from "RKS solicitors" in Huddersfield.

Step-by-Step Process and Methodology:

1. Initial Contact: The undercover reporter contacted Shakawan regarding an illegal working fine.
2. Street Consultation: Shakawan met the reporter on the street outside RKS solicitors and explained what needed to be done to resolve the fine.
3. Office Meeting: Shakawan led the reporter inside the solicitors' office.
4. Document Review: Behind a desk, Shakawan showed documents detailing individuals he had previously assisted.
5. Introduction to Zohab Hussein: Shakawan introduced the reporter to Zohab Hussein, listed as a paralegal on the RKS website.

Key Points from the Meeting with Zohab Hussein:

• Business Operations: Hussein acknowledged operating mini marts and selling both legal and illegal cigarettes.
• Dealing with Fines: Hussein explained a process for responding to fine letters anonymously, mentioning the reporter's name to make them personally liable, and potentially creating false documents like business agreements to obscure transactions.
• Right to Work Status Inquiry: Hussein inquired about the reporter's right to work status in the UK.
• Transfer of Ownership: As a "last resort," Hussein suggested transferring the business sign to someone else's name.
• Cost: Hussein quoted a price of "around three and a half thousand" for his services.
• Shakawan's Presence: Shakawan was present throughout this entire meeting.

Shakawan's Dual Identity and Wider Network

The investigation also uncovered that Shakawan uses another name: "Cardos Matin." Research linked Cardis Matin to official paperwork for dozens of mini marts, and Trading Standards had repeatedly found illegal cigarettes in shops under his name.

Supporting Evidence:

• Trading Standards Findings: Repeated discovery of illegal cigarettes in shops linked to Cardis Matin.
• Senior Immigration Lawyer's Perspective: Bry, a senior immigration lawyer, expressed astonishment at the scale of the operation and stated that creating false documents is an offense under the Fraud Act. He characterized Shakawan as believing himself "untouchable" and boasting about his ability to make fines disappear and set up false businesses nationwide.

Confrontation and Denials

When confronted by BBC News, Cardos Shakuan (Cardos Matin) denied any wrongdoing and claimed no association with RKS solicitors. Zohab Hussein denied any association with Shakawan and refuted all allegations. RKS solicitors stated they had no connection to alleged misconduct, had suspended Zohab Hussein, informed the regulator, and launched an internal review.

Government Response and Scale of the Problem

The Home Secretary, Shabbana Mahmud, acknowledged that these criminal networks incentivize illegal immigration, including arrivals via small boats. She stated that an investigation would be launched and that she "will not stand for it."

Key Arguments and Perspectives:

• Home Secretary's Acknowledgment: Recognition that criminal networks lure people to the UK illegally.
• Government Action: Commitment to an investigation and a firm stance against such activities.
• Reporter's Observations: Ed Thomas highlighted a "chasm between what is actually happening in these shops and what is happening to try and stop this." He noted that law enforcement repeatedly calls for more help, indicating a lack of control over the situation.
• Immigration Minister's Statement: The Immigration Minister expressed outrage and pledged to speak with law enforcement and change laws if necessary.

Data and Research Findings:

• The investigation spanned a year.
• Shakawan/Cardos Matin was linked to "dozens of mini marts."
• Zada was linked to "around 20 mini and car washes."
• The investigation covered multiple cities including Birmingham, Hull, Liverpool, Grimsby, Newport, and Pill.

Conclusion and Takeaways

The investigation reveals a sophisticated network of organized crime exploiting the black economy to facilitate illegal immigration and working in the UK. Individuals like Shakawan and Zohab Hussein provide crucial services, from setting up businesses to evading legal penalties, often operating from seemingly legitimate professional settings. The scale of the problem is significant, with law enforcement acknowledging a lack of grip and calling for more resources. While the government has responded with promises of investigation and legislative action, the report underscores the urgent need for effective measures to combat these deeply entrenched criminal operations.