Lucknow, July 16 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Thursday carried out search operations at 13 locations across Uttar Pradesh under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its ongoing investigation into an alleged terror funding and illegal infiltration network, officials said.The searches were conducted in connection with Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) No. ECIR/LKZO/14/2024, which pertains to an alleged network involved in terror financing and facilitating infiltration into the country.According to officials, the money laundering investigation stems from an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). The FIR relates to an organised syndicate allegedly engaged in helping Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals illegally enter India, arranging forged Indian identity documents for them, and facilitating their settlement and rehabilitation in different parts of the country, officials stated.

Officials said the predicate investigation has uncovered what appears to be an extensive financial network involving certain charitable trusts and other entities that allegedly received substantial foreign contributions. Investigators suspect that these funds were diverted through multiple bank accounts, mule accounts and layered financial transactions to support and facilitate the alleged illegal activities.The investigation has further indicated that the network allegedly relied on cash withdrawals and numerous small-value financial transfers routed to suspected beneficiaries in an effort to avoid detection and conceal the movement of funds.Officials said the searches were conducted as part of the ongoing probe to gather evidence and trace the flow of money linked to the alleged network. The authorities said that an investigation is currently underway.Further details are awaited.

/IANS