Inside the Death in Paradise islands of Turks & Caicos where bloody turf war between murderous Yardie gangs battling for control of lucrative drug trade saw US tourist gunned down in a hail of bullets
FROM MAIL ON LINE
- US tourist Kent Carter was celebrating his 40th birthday on Turks & Caicos Islands when he was gunned down
- Carter and his girlfriend were passengers in a car when they were caught up in an ambush by a drugs gang
- The former army veteran and racial justice leader from Northern Virginia died, while his girlfriend survived
- The idyllic islands, once favoured by celebrities, are now notorious for violent murders at hands of drug lords
By NICK PISA IN PROVIDENCIALES FOR MAILONLINE
US tourist Kent Carter fell instantly in love with the pristine white Caribbean sands and turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands, texting a friend: ‘Best beach in the world, bro.’
Just hours later the Army veteran and racial justice leader from Northern Virginia lay dead in a hail of bullets, the latest victim of a spiralling epidemic of gang violence paralysing the British Overseas territory.
Mr Carter and his girlfriend Alonia Williams were celebrating his 40th birthday earlier this month and returning to the £850 a night five-star Ritz Carlton hotel when they were caught in the crossfire of an ambush by drugs gangs.
Ms Williams survived with minor injuries, while their driver – the target of the attack – was left riddled with bullets.
The shocking death of Mr Carter, latterly a real estate agent, and vice president of Arlington NAACP, has highlighted the astonishing rise in violent murders which has left parts of the idyllic islands at the mercy of the drug lords.
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