LAKEWOOD, NJ — FBI agents raided warehouses in the Lakewood Industrial Park on Wednesday and Thursday, seizing boxes that appeared to contain medical equipment, according to reports.

Boxes seized from a warehouse on Swarthmore Avenue Wednesday were labeled "respirators," the Asbury Park Press reported. A Lakewood resident who operates the Facebook page First Amendment Activist posted video of Wednesday's raid showing roughly two dozen FBI agents and others at the Swarthmore Avenue site.

On Thursday, a warehouse on Oberlin Avenue was raided, the Asbury Park Press reported. Several trucks were loaded with boxes removed from the warehouse, the report said. ABC7 reported the raids had to do with medical equipment.

During his daily coronavirus briefing, Gov. Phil Murphy answered a reporter's question about the investigation and about speculation that it was related to hoarding or price gouging by saying state officials could not comment on the matter but said it was being handled by federal authorities. "Because it's a law enforcement matter we won't have much to say on the specifics," he said.

Murphy went on to say, "As a general matter, if someone is trying to hoard or price gouge in this hour of need they deserve a special place in hell."



