Esteban Parra, and Brittany Horn

The News Journal

The Polish Library Association in Wilmington, which was raided by FBI and police Tuesday morning, was reopened Wednesday, and people were seen coming and going from the building on South Van Buren Street.

One man, who exited the building and then re-entered it Wednesday afternoon, said the private building was open but declined to comment further. Knocks at the door went unanswered Wednesday, but music could be heard inside the building.

Neighbors who live on the 400 block of S. Van Buren St. say they're not surprised people are back inside the building. Older men, many described in their 70s by neighbors, frequent the building and "drink all kinds of stuff," said a woman who lives on the block. She declined to give her name.

The woman witnessed at least 20 agents and police officers on the block Tuesday carrying what appeared to be gambling machines and brown bags out of the building. They were there nearly all day, she said.

The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Tuesday that officials raided at least two Delaware locations, including the association and a home on the first block of Palo Lane near Newark. At the home, federal agents, including FBI and members of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, walked in and out of a residence carrying boxes throughout the day Tuesday.

"We have conducted a law enforcement activity at the locations you mentioned," said Kimberlynn Reeves, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday.

Reeves would not elaborate on the nature of the raids or if other raids were being conducted.

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FBI Baltimore spokesman Dave Fitz said because the matter is part of a sealed warrant, he was not allowed to speak about it. He could not provide further details on the raids Wednesday.

Leonard Kniffel, acting president of the Polish American Librarians Association in Chicago, said the national organization was unaware of the raids.

"The information I was able to obtain was simply by using Google, so I have nothing to add," Kniffel said in an email. "However, I do appreciate your drawing this to our attention."

Those who live nearby said they didn't notice any changes lately in the activity at the building, though most said it was apparent that the building was not a library association. One woman said police also raided the home next to the Polish Library Association, where she believes one of the men who frequents the association lives.

New Castle County records show the Palo Lane home is owned by John and Brenda Czarnecki. John Czarnecki is listed as president of the Polish Library Association.

A neighbor in the community said John Czarnecki has lived there for about 10 years, adding that they moved in around the same time frame. The neighbor, however, said that he has never noticed anything out of the ordinary from the house.

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3. Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.