The Daily Mail reports that Edinburgh, recently ranked the world's second prettiest city, is grappling with a serious surge in drug-related and gang violence beneath its tourist-friendly image. The article argues this matters because the Scottish capital is about to welcome around three million visitors for its Fringe and International Film Festivals next month, even as assaults, shootings and firebombings have become increasingly common on its streets.

Police Scotland has established a dedicated investigation unit, Operation Portaledge, which has made 69 arrests linked to a sharp rise in gangland attacks across Edinburgh, Glasgow and surrounding areas, reportedly connected to a long-running crime family feud. The piece notes that Scotland remains Europe's drug-death capital for the seventh consecutive year, despite a 13 per cent fall in fatalities, and cites incidents such as the petrol bombing of a beauty salon close to festival venues.