Authorities said yesterday that they have detained more than 40 illegal immigrants over the past two days. The coast guard off Samos detained 15 would-be migrants, and their suspected Turkish smuggler, on the island yesterday, and another 11 migrants on Monday. Police yesterday intercepted two trucks carrying eight migrants of Asian origin in Metamorphosis, northwestern of Athens. The drivers were also detained. Also on Monday, Cretan authorities intercepted six migrants on the islet of the Gavdos and authorities at Athens airport arrested a Bangladeshi believed to be a member of an international human-trafficking ring.

A 15-year-old has been arrested on the grounds of the archaeological site of the Acropolis on suspicion of dealing drugs, police said yesterday. The Somali teenager had more than 130 small packets of heroin and hashish in his possession and is suspected of being used by dealers to supply addicts.

Taxi fares increased by 1 euro yesterday after cabbies added the annual Christmas bonus to their fee. The surcharge will apply through to January 6.

Police said yesterday that they are searching for two men, aged 49 and 52, in connection with a robbery at a jewelry store in a hotel in Kavouri, southeastern Athens, in January. Authorities said that their inquiries led them to believe that the pair carried out the raid, during which some 400,000 euros’ worth of jewelry was stolen. Neither suspect was named.

Pavilions hosting 19 non-governmental organizations will be unveiled at Kotzia Square in central Athens today as part of the City of Athens’s Christmas celebrations. Singer Costas Makedonas will perform as part of the event, which begins at 7 p.m. Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis will also open the “Enchanted Forest” in the National Gardens at 11 a.m. tomorrow. The forest will be open until January 5. More information is available at www.christmasinathens.gr or by dialing 195.

A Rhodes prosecutor yesterday forwarded to a local magistrate the file of a 50-year-old islander charged with sexually abusing two children, aged 10 and 12. A lawyer representing the suspect, who is said to be abroad, requested a 20-day reprieve so that his client can prepare his deposition. The 50-year-old faces multiple charges of rape and sexual harassment.

Justice Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis wants to create six new appeals courts in Greece, it was revealed yesterday. The government intends to set up appeals courts in Trikala, Kavala, Agrinion, Halkida and Lesvos while a second appeals court will be created on Crete, in the city of Iraklion.

Two Chinese nationals were yesterday indicted for the extortion and grievous bodily harm of a fellow countryman who refused their alleged attempts to exact protection money from him. The suspects, aged 24 and 26, allegedly smashed up the 35-year-old’s Thessaloniki store after he refused to give them 3,000 euros. They are also alleged to have beaten him. A third suspect, also Chinese, is being sought.

A Thessaloniki appeals court yesterday upheld a conviction against a 28-year-old man found guilty of killing a 73-year-old convenience store manager in the northern town in January 2005 but reduced his jail sentence from 14 years to 10 years. The 28-year-old was found to have battered the store manager to death with an iron bar.