POLICE in Tenerife fear that a bloody international timeshare turf war may be looming after the murder of a British couple.
A news blackout has been imposed after the killings of Billy Robinson, 58, and his wife, Florence, 55, who used to work for John “Goldfinger” Palmer, the millionaire timeshare fraudster.
The couple were attacked in two incidents last week after their cars were forced off the road. Mr Robinson was tortured before having his throat slit, and Mrs Robinson was bludgeoned to death.
It is thought that the pair may have been the victims of Eastern Europeans trying to muscle in on the timeshare market.
A police source in Tenerife said: “If these murders do turn out to be part of a turf war, things could get very nasty on this island. We’re on our guard for more violence.”
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Detectives say that Eastern European gangs, particularly Romanians, are increasing in number in the south of the island, which has long been a magnet for criminals hoping to cash in on the booming timeshare market.
Forensic-science experts who examined Mr Robinson’s body found cuts on his neck, face and body that they believe were made before his attackers cut his jugular vein.
The signs of torture have fuelled police suspicions that the killings were the work of hired hitmen. They are believed to have fled the island by using false passports provided by their paymasters.