Greek bars accused of reselling unfinished drinks back to tourists, police raids warn

28 Greek tourist bars on Corfu have been closed after being accused of tampering with alcohol. Photo / 123RF

Several bars in a Greek party island have been accused of reselling unfinished drinks to tourists.

The disgusting discovery comes after raids investigating tainted alcohol claims and hundreds of thousands of euros in undeclared receipts.

The businesses in Kavos on the island of Corfu were raided by Greek customs and revenue authority AADE, on suspicion that businesses were evading taxes and tampering with alcohol sold through the cheap, popular tourist bars.

Local police and tax auditors found 26 businesses had withheld receipts totalling more than a quarter million euros ($485,000). Alcohol stocks were found unaccounted for and stored without lot numbers, and had not paid duties on the drink, leading authorities to suspect that drinks had been either illicitly made or smuggled on the island.

Samples from eight bars were sent for testing. Fines were issued and 28 businesses closed for 48 hours.

Greek news service AMNA reported that some unmarked barrels contained “recycled” alcohol, left by patrons.

It was common for bartenders to collect unfinished spirits to sell back to tourists.

The raids come as Greece investigates the death of UK tourist Hannah Byrne, 22, in Kavos. The police officer died after a suspected tainted alcohol case, less than 12 hours after arriving at the seaside resort. She was found early on Friday morning last week, after a minor fall.

Chief medical officer Yannis Aivatidis said that alcohol was detected on the woman’s breath.

“There are questions as to what kind of alcohol she consumed,” Aivatidis told local news.

“Had it been illicitly tampered with? Was she so intoxicated because methanol was in the alcoholic drinks she had consumed?”

A toxicology report was being conducted to find if tainted alcohol could have played a part in Byrne’s death.

Kavos is the southernmost beach on the island of Corfu. Its main tourist appeal is to young holidaymakers from Britain, Germany and Northern Europe, who come for sun, cheap drink and a 24-hour party reputation.