Life as an illegal immigrant

Hours of secret film was recorded inside fauji houses Migrant criminal network exposed

What is it like to live and work as an illegal immigrant in the UK?

A team of BBC News reporters spent months undercover trying to find out and exposed a network of criminality that involves and feeds on hundreds of young, male Punjabis living illegally in Southall, west London.

These men - who call themselves fauji, a Punjabi term for army foot soldiers - are surrounded by forgers, criminals and ruthless employers.

BBC News Special correspondent Richard Bilton talked to Mohammed, one of the undercover team, about what they found.

Mr Singh has told the BBC that he does not employ illegal immigrants, that all his staff have the correct paperwork and permission to reside and work in the UK, and that he did not pay Mohammed because it was a training day.

After the undercover team had been withdrawn, Richard Bilton returned to one of the fauji houses, where a resident - who would not give his name - spoke about their lives.

The undercover reporter's name has been changed to protect his identity.

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