Inspectors from Greece’s Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) found tax violations on three out of four day cruise boats operating on Kos, Greece, as part of a tax evasion operation called “I’ll take you on a cruise”, the name of which has been inspired by a famous old Greek song.
The campaign targets tax evasion on vessels running daily excursions- a sector flagged as high-risk for undeclared revenue, according to OT.
Operation in Kos
Following similar inspections in Santorini, AADE teams carried out coordinated checks in Kos with the support of the island’s Port Authority. The operation focused on day cruise boats running mini-excursions around Kos and to nearby islands, Pserimos and Kalymnos.
How Inspectors Worked
Inspectors, brought in from outside Kos, boarded the boats posing as tourists. They purchased tickets both online and in cash, observed the use of cash registers and POS terminals, and monitored whether receipts were issued. Shortly before the end of the trips, they revealed their identities, presented inspection warrants, and imposed penalties.
At the same time, other inspectors obtained passenger lists from the Port Authority. By cross-checking these records with data from Greece’s digital accounting platforms myDATA and e-Send, they identified major discrepancies, confirming undeclared revenue. Inspectors waited for the boats to return to port before issuing fines and sanctions.
Findings
A total of eight boats were inspected. Violations were found on six of them, representing a 75% noncompliance rate. Offenses included:
- Failure to issue receipts for drinks, coffee, and other items sold during cruises
- Failure to issue tickets to passengers
- Concealment of turnover and revenue, revealed through digital data cross-checks
AADE imposed fines in all cases and announced that the boat-owning companies will face in-depth audits.
