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SNIFF, DRINK, LIVE

in jail and there are plenty. They even have a little Hindu temple in Kerobokan.

– Alberto

Most tourists flying in for a week of sun-drenched poolside drinking, cheap massages and shopping were oblivious to the subculture of crime. But it existed all around them. The men in black standing at the front doors of exclusive restaurants, clubs and bars were mostly gangsters from the island's most violent gang, Laskar Bali – its members usually identifiable by a distinctive three-ringed symbol tattooed between their thumb and first finger. There were at least five big gangs, but Laskar had most of the security contracts in Kuta, Legian and Seminyak, the prime tourist areas.

These security deals were worth big bucks, as they gave the gangs control of the drug trade. The contracts were the cause of the violent turf war that was fought constantly right across the tourist mecca, almost in a parallel universe, usually not apparent to tourists unless they got caught in the crossfire. When fights broke out in popular clubs like Bounty or Sky Garden, information was kept sketchy, with local journalists under dire threats of harm if they dared to name Laskar – all to keep the false Eat Pray Love-esque image intact.

Why don't you put Laskar's name in the paper?

Mostly our journalists are scared to write that group's name. That group don't like it if we write their name in our paper.

Journalists are scared?

Yeah. Scared.

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