In this tourist area, bartenders collected uneaten drinks in a container and then transformed them into shots for other tourists.
At least 28 pubs in a popular Greek resort have been fined and forced to close for several days after being found collecting unfinished drinks left by customers to resell as shots. Tax audits at bars in Kavos in the Corfu region showed that bartenders were turning customers’ discarded drinks into shots (small glasses, usually drunk in one gulp) for new customers. During this operation, it was observed that the bartenders were collecting the remaining drinks in a container and then turning them into shots for other tourists.
According to local media, the authorities are intensifying their surveillance on establishments in Kavos, located in the south of Corfu, a popular festive destination for tourists. Between August 30 and September 1, the Independent Public Revenue Authority AADE and customs auditors raided several bars and restaurants in Kavos to check for offenses related to tax evasion and adulteration of drinks.
Officials also found that seven food establishments in the area did not have lot number markings, meaning they were serving illegal or contraband alcohol, possibly adulterated. Eight samples were sent to the General State Chemical Laboratory of Greece for analysis.
Auditors also checked whether restaurants and bars were issuing receipts, and found that 26 local businesses had failed to issue at least 40,578 receipts worth a total of €267,418. Following these discoveries, at least 28 establishments were forced to close for 48 hours and fines were imposed on them. According to local media, authorities are now carrying out similar checks in other Greek tourist areas.
Drinking the beverage served to another person presents several risks. First, there is the possibility of transmission of infectious diseases via saliva. Then, we can never be certain of the exact content of the drink, which could contain unwanted or even harmful substances. Finally, there is the risk of poisoning if the drink has been contaminated or deliberately altered.