For more than a decade, an intense gang war has been raging between British and foreign criminals in Spain's sunny costal regions. The warring factions have left more than a hundred people dead and scores injured, making headlines around the world. These vicious conflicts for control of drugs turf, protection rackets, people smuggling and sex slavery have blighted the reputation of what was once Europe's number one holiday destination and given it a sinister epithet: Costa del Crime. Gang Wars on the Costa reveals the inside story of the crime mobs, their deadly feuds and how this chilling criminal gang culture has evolved at a rate and intensity unlike anything seen before in Europe. With unprecedented access to senior gang members and police officers, Wensley Clarkson traces the roots of these criminals - from Britain, southern Europe, South America and the former Soviet block - and focuses on the emergence of the main gangs, whose rise to power has sparked gun battles and even professional hits.