Málaga has seen one the largest increases in crime in Spain.

Only the Baleares has seen a greater rise in delinquency than the Costa del Sol. A review from the General State Prosecutor’s Office said there was a great deal of organised crime when compared to places like Jaén or Melilla. The statement continued: ‘In the province of Málaga the organised crime manifests itself in economic crimes such as robberies and assaults on businesses or homes, drug trafficking, prostitution, massive frauds and certain cases of administrative corruption’. ‘The presence of a high number of foreign residents, which in some occasions have a greater population than the Spanish, the diversion of homes in urbanisations along the coast, and the opportunity to make money from real estate’ are some of the factors why, according to statement from the Fiscalia, ‘Málaga is an ideal place for the refuge of persons linked to criminal activity’. The Costa del Sol is the main entry point in Spain and Europe for hashish.