Eudoxia Pehlivanidis, 82, too ‘aggressive’ from dementia to attend Adelaide court on drug charges

Why Australia’s oldest alleged drug trafficker, 82, embroiled in cocaine plot with her grandson may not have be able to attend court: ‘Aggressive’

• Eudoxia Pehlivanidis, 82, allegedly trafficked drugs
• The Adelaide grandmother suffers from dementia
• Lawyer said she’d be ‘aggressive’ if forced to attend court

By Isabel Mcmillan For Nca Newswire

Published: 07:55 BST, 12 April 2023 | Updated: 09:14 BST, 12 April 2023

An elderly grandmother charged with major drug trafficking who claims she’d never touched a drug in her life is struggling with deteriorating health concerns that make her aggressive, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, Eudoxia ‘Effie’ Pehlivanidis’s lawyer Yasmin McMahon told the Adelaide Magistrates Court her client was suffering from deteriorating dementia, and attending court would be too overwhelming for her.

‘It is difficult to get her into the setting like the court,’ she said.

Ms McMahon told the court her 82-year-old client could be ‘aggressive’ if forced to come to court in person.

Magistrate Ben Sale said that people charged with such significant matters who are on bail are normally required to attend, but prosecution counsel didn’t object Ms Pehlivanidis’ absence.

‘I’m not seeking to make any audits,’ prosecution counsel said.

Eudoxia ‘Effie’ Pehlivanidis, 82, (pictured) suffers from deteriorating dementia. Her lawyer claimed Ms Pehlivanidis is too ill to attend court and could be ‘aggressive’ if forced

The 82-year-old grandmother (pictured) has denied knowing of any cocaine at her property

In February, South Australian detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch armed police raided Ms Pehlivanidis’ home in Flinders Park.

Ms Pehlivanidis and her grandson Kosta, 30, were arrested as part of an investigation into the attempted importation of 8kg of cocaine.

After her arrest, Ms Pehlivanidis told 7News she didn’t know why police arrested her, and she’d never touched any drugs.

‘Never! Never smoked, never nothing,’ she said.

The court heard prosecutors needed six months before they could determine charges against Ms Pehlivanidis and her co-accused grandson Kosta Pehlivanidis because the matter involved police from different states.

‘The reason for a long period is that it does involve cross agency between New South Wales Police and SAPOL,’ prosecution counsel said.

‘There is also likely to be drug analysis and DNA related evidence.

‘It’s slightly more complicated than most ordinary drug trafficking.’

Her grandson Kosta Pehlivanidis, 30, (pictured) was also arrested as part of an investigation into the attempted importation of 8kg of cocaine after a raid at their Flinders Park home

Kosta attending Adelaide Magistrates Court by himself on April 11 (pictured). His grandmother was too ill to attend

She previously told 7News there was a box, allegedly found by police containing drugs, but didn’t know what was in it.

‘It’s just a box with sticks,’ she said. 

‘I don’t know (if it was delivered) by the post office man or a different man.’

The two were charged with attempting to traffic in a large commercial quantity of cocaine.

They will remain on bail to face court again in October.

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