The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Thursday conducted searches at around 13 locations across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and West Bengal in connection with an alleged terror funding and illegal infiltration network.

The case stems from an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) regarding an organised syndicate allegedly involved in facilitating illegal infiltration of Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals into India, arranging forged Indian identity documents and helping them settle in different parts of the country.

The investigation has uncovered a deep-rooted financial network involving certain charitable trusts and entities that allegedly received substantial foreign contributions and diverted the same through multiple bank accounts, mule accounts and layered transactions to facilitate illegal activities, sources said.

The probe has also indicated the use of cash withdrawals and small-value transfers to suspected beneficiaries, the sources added.