Chinatown restaurants raided

Several popular Chinatown restaurants were being raided Friday by the authorities.

FBI spokeswoman Joan Hyde confirmed that search warrants were being executed “at a number of locations as part of an ongoing investigation” and no arrests were involved. No additional information was available, Hyde said.

IRS Criminal Inspection Division Special Agent Kerry Hannigan would only say IRS agents were in Chinatown Friday on “official business.”

Tony Hu, the president of Lao Sze Chuan restaurant, 2172 S. Archer Ave., and many others, said, “I’m at home.”

Agents were seen at several Lao locations, including Lao Shanghai, 2163 S. China Pl., and Lao Beijing, 2138 S. Archer Ave.

Warrants were being executed in Chinatown.

One shop owner said the FBI agents began showing up outside Lao Sze Chuan about 10 a.m.

Someone who works nearby saw agents removing paperwork and a computer from Lao Shanghai about 11:30 a.m.

After agents left his restaurants Friday afternoon, Hu maintained he had no idea what they were looking for or what they had confiscated from his Lao restaurants.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I just got back from China last week. I was at home when they came. I too am trying to find out why they came to my restaurants and what they wanted, because I don’t know,” Hu said.