The Greek Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) said that it has issued fines in excess of 170 million euros and conducted 1,270 inspections in April and during the early-May runup to Greek Orthodox Easter.

SDOE inspectors found that 25.6 percent of businesses and individuals whose books were checked for tax infringements were found to be in violation.

The service imposed fines worth a total of 170,492,268 for infringements related to tax dodging, with one of the most outstanding cases being that of an ear, nose and throat doctor who was issued with a fine of 3,930,384 euros over income declaration discrepancies in the period between 2007-2010.

Ten businesses in advertising, wholesale, metal works and construction were fined an additional total of 16 million euros for issuing bogus invoices, while another 2.1 million euros was levied against six individuals who were found to have made false claims on their provenance of wealth declarations, known as “pothen esches.”

Source: Kathimerini.