Federal prosecutors in North Carolina say a gang of 11 robbers stormed the homes of Middle Eastern and Asian business owners to rob them of money generated by their tobacco shops, nail salons, restaurants and jewelers.

Court records show the first of the men was arrested Wednesday. All are charged with firing or threatening to use a gun, conspiracy and interfering with interstate commerce by robbery.

Charges filed last week accuse the men with plotting to rob the owners of Durham and Hillsborough businesses over three months ending in January 2016.

U.S. Attorney’s spokeswoman Lynne Klauer in Greensboro said she could not describe how the shopkeepers were picked or other details of the alleged crimes.

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