Crete: four arrests over alcohol served to minors

Three Greek nationals were arrested on 23 August 2026 by the Chersonisos Police Station, accused of violating legislation on measures to protect minors, in two separate cases concerning the evenings of 20 and 21 August 2026. In Kokkini Hani, a 14-year-old consumed alcoholic drinks at a party, showed symptoms of intoxication, was transported by an EKAB ambulance and was hospitalised in the paediatric clinic. In Malia, a 17-year-old tourist from Germany consumed alcohol at food-service premises and was taken to the Neapoli Health Centre. For the two incidents, the 40-year-old organiser of the event in Kokkini Hani and a 54-year-old and a 49-year-old, managers of premises in Malia, were arrested, alleged to have allowed drinks to be served to minors.

Separately from the Chersonisos case, on the evening of 23 August 2026 a minor consumed alcohol at food-service premises in Rethymno, became intoxicated and was taken to Rethymno Hospital. A 57-year-old manager of the premises was arrested by the Rethymno Sub-Directorate for Crime Suppression and Detection. The Hellenic Police announcement uses only the word “minor”, while local reports, such as Rethemnos News, identify him as 15 years old. In both cases, the presumption of innocence applies to those arrested, while the premises are not named and the minors are not identified.

In a further incident, a few days earlier, a 13-year-old boy was taken to the Kasteli Health Centre and then to the Venizeleio Hospital, after consuming a large amount of tsikoudia at a party. These incidents are not isolated this summer in Crete: in August, two minors ended up in Rethymno Hospital from intoxication, while in Chania three guardians were arrested for minors’ intoxication. EKAB has recorded more than fifteen intoxication calls a day in the area, a figure that shows the scale of the phenomenon beyond the individual arrests.

Two elements stand out in this year’s cases. The first is that responsibility is now being sought not only from premises but also from private events, such as the party in Kokkini Hani, where the event’s organiser was arrested. The second is that the incidents involve both minors who live permanently on the island and minor visitors, which links the issue to nightlife in tourist areas. It is not known whether administrative sanctions or the sealing of any of the premises were imposed, nor when the case files opened will be examined by the courts. The sources do not say whether those arrested were released after the process, nor what penalties the law provides for the violations attributed to them, while the health condition of the minors after their hospital treatment has not been made public.