According to a press release from Attorney General of St. Maarten Taco Stein, the police conducted a search operation in Pointe Blanche which was led by the judge of instruction. The release which was signed by St. Maarten's Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos states that police were unable to find corroboration of the information that lead to the search. Mos said in the interest of the investigation, no additional comment will be made.
SMN News was reliably informed that the raid was conducted in the home and garden of Ace Home Center owners, Samie and Josef Al-Yousef. According to information reaching SMN News, the prosecutor's office was informed by an outside source that the businessmen had several weapons in their homes and they ordered the search which was conducted by the RST and KPSM. The judge of instruction was also present when the search took place.
It is not yet clear who the informant was and what motivated the person to set law enforcement on the well known Arab businessmen. A source close to the Ministry of Justice said the police received a tip and they conducted an investigation and subsequent raid of the family's residence which was built about four years ago in Pointe Blanche.
