Teams of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at several places in Goa in their probe into a money laundering case involving shell companies duping foreign investors.

A senior ED official said the agency was carrying out searches in south and north Goa, including residential premises of Amit Kumar, for duping foreign as well Indian investors in real estate in the state.

According to ED officials, the financial probe agency has got the tip-off on 67 shell companies registered by the accused.

An ED official said the accused made foreign nationals as directors of the shell companies in lieu of getting them properties in the state and to receive the foreign funds from them and after that the directorship of the company was changed.

The official said the agency is also probing if there was a link in foreign direct investment receipts through illegal route as it has received complaints from over half-a-dozen people.