PARADISE LOST
The sinister drug underworld ravaging real-life Death in Paradise island with innocent Brits ‘forced to smuggle coke’
Cops made 500 arrests in one 2022 operation
WITH its beautiful white sandy beaches and glistening crystal-clear sea, the stunning Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe have captivated Death in Paradise viewers.
But beyond the warm waters and stunning beaches of the popular resort lie a sinister international drug trade.
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The sunny isle is often subjected to huge firearm and drug operations, which seize hundreds of millions of pounds worth of illegal goods off the island's coast.
While the popular BBC series - which until recently starred Ralf Little - is set on the fictional island of Saint Marie, it is filmed in Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory consisting of 12 islands and islets, six of which are inhabited.
The popular series has inspired tourists to visit with the gorgeous coastlines and stunning views contributing to the booming tourism on the beautiful island.
The risk of unsuspecting holidaymakers getting caught up in the criminal underworld is low but drug lords use the real Death In Paradise island as a stop-off point to smuggle drugs globally.
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GLOBAL FIREARM BUST
One of the biggest stings in Guadeloupe came in 2022, with a massive Interpol operation - known as Operation Trigger VII.
Officers from 19 countries acted on organised crime intelligence to swoop on airports and seaports, resulting in over 500 arrests across the Caribbean.
It also led to the seizure of around 350 weapons, 3,300 rounds of ammunition and record drug hauls, including over 10 tonnes of cocaine and 2.5 tonnes of cannabis.
435KG DRUG HAUL
Just last year, the French Navy vessel Ventôse intercepted a boat northwest of Guadeloupe and seized 19 packs of cocaine, weighing 435kg.
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Four men were arrested according to the local site St Lucia Times, and it was the boat's second bust in less than a month.
By February that year the team had reportedly seized over 1.5 tonnes of narcotics, demonstrating just how many big operations occur in the area.
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DUPED
The island is generally considered safe for tourists by the UK government as long as they "avoid isolated areas, including beaches, after dark", but that's not to say they shouldn't keep their wits about them.
Back in 2003, Brits Jayne and David Bladen were arrested on the island after allegedly being caught with £120,000 worth of cocaine, according to a BBC report at the time.
The nightmare tale - which the pair revealed in the documentary Locked Up Abroad - began after Jayne had been offered a job teaching lap dancing at a club in Guyana.
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However, once there, she claims drug dealers forced her and her hubby to carry liquid cocaine across the Caribbean islands into the UK.
They got through two customs points before being arrested in Guadeloupe.
The pair were accused of drug smuggling and spent nearly two years in prison, where David claims he suffered physical attacks before later being cleared and released in 2005.
'EXTREME VIOLENCE'
It's not just the drug trade that impacts the island, either.
While the murder rate is fairly low at 0.06 deaths per 100,000 people - unlike the body count in the show - the area has been victim to sporadic violence and rioting in the past. most recently in 2021, during Covid lockdown.
At one point France was forced to send special force police teams in to restore order following rioting, looting and shooting at cops.
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Amid calls for calm, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said at the time: "There are still scenes of extreme violence with police forces being shot at with real ammunition."
Despite this, several hundred British nationals visit Guadeloupe each year, with most visits remaining trouble-free.
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