A Houston office building raided by federal officials on Wednesday is the home of the same engineering firm whose office in Laredo was raided earlier in the day – along with several government offices in Laredo.
The building is in the 3100 block of West Alabama. It is the Houston office of Dannenbaum Engineering.
Meanwhile, federal officials raided Dannenbaum Engineering’s office in Laredo -- as well as Laredo's city hall and public works department and the Webb County Courthouse.
"While we can't discuss the nature of the work we are doing, there is no public safety threat," FBI spokeswoman Michelle Lee told the news website ValleyCentral.com.
Webb County, in a statement to local media, said the office of County Commissioner Jaime Canales was searched.
Another Webb County commissioner, John Galo, was quoted by local news media that "corruption in Webb County has been going on for too long" and that the raids come as no surprise.
No arrests have been made.
Phone calls by NewsRadio 740 KTRH to Dannenbaum's Houston office have gone unanswered.
Dannenbaum Engineering was awarded a $1 million contract by the Laredo City Council in 2014. The mayor vetoed it, saying no request for proposals from others had been posted. The council overrode his veto.
It is not known if the Laredo government fight over that contract is linked to Wednesday's multiple raids -- or if the Houston office is involved in the matter.