New Delhi, June 6 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said.

The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities.

According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locations linked to contractors and officials suspected of embezzlement in the desilting operations of the Mithi River.

The case involves accu...