number of gangland hits over the last month.the Spanish police are struggling to cope with the new crime epidemic.


“It’s very heavy duty down here – they are all fighting for turf. People are savagely tortured to death, it’s totally gruesome.


“These gangs want to send a message to everyone, that if you screw with them you’ll die in an unpleasant fashion.


“The Spanish police are very good but they are totally outnumbered. Every few days they round up another gang.


“But when they catch one, another 10 spring up in their place. It’s big money because a massive percentage of drugs in Europe come in through southern Spain.


“You can see these guys everywhere, driving about like Premiership footballers in their baby Bentleys. A lot of the problems we have here are with eastern European criminals – they are very violent.


“You get people from the former Yugoslavia here who used to work in death squads. They are ethnic cleansers.


“You can be out with the wife and kids and suddenly the bloke at the next table has his head blown off. There are armed gangs of brigands roaming. You have to be a bit careful who you are mixing with.”