Greece faces high illicit alcohol trade due to taxation

Three educational seminars were held in Ioannina, Larissa, and Lamia on October 12, 13, and 14, 2026, to address the illegal distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages in the Greek market. Organized by regional police directorates in collaboration with the Greek Spirits Business Association (ENEAP), the events involved the Hellenic Police, customs and port authorities, the General State Chemical Laboratory, and the Coordinating Operational Center for combating smuggling.

Participants discussed the methods used by organized crime rings, the resulting public health risks, loss of tax revenue, and market distortions. Sofika Papanikolaou, General Director of ENEAP, noted that price differentials between legal and illegal products drive this phenomenon.

According to a study by the Institute of Economic and Business Research (IOBE), Greece maintains the highest Excise Tax rate on spirits among EU countries when measured in purchasing power parity. Currently, excise tax and VAT account for 55% of the final retail price of spirits, a high tax burden that ENEAP suggests incentivizes the illicit market.