Eudoxia Pehlivanidis’ lawyer tells court there is nothing to indicate grandmother was involved

There is “nothing” to prove a grandmother accused of attempting to traffic $3.2 million worth of cocaine was involved, but charges against her will proceed, a court has heard.

Serious drug trafficking charges will proceed against an 83-year-old grandmother accused of importing $3.2 million worth of cocaine – but her lawyer says there is no evidence the elderly woman was involved.

Eudoxia Pehlivanidis was due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday alongside her grandson, Kosta Pehlivanidis, 31, for a charge determination hearing.

Ms Pehlivanidis lawyer, Yasmin McMahon, told the court she had received a brief of evidence from prosecution since the last hearing and had written to prosecutors indicating that on her view of that material “there’s nothing against my client”.

She said she had received a response indicating the case against her client “would be reviewed” before she is due to enter a plea.

Evdocia “Effie” Pehlivanidis, 82, has denied knowing of any cocaine at her property. Picture: 7NEWS

Ms McMahon handed up a medical certificate to explain Ms Pehlivanidis’ absence from the hearing, which was excused by Chief Magistrate, Judge Mary-Louise Hribal.

At an earlier hearing, the court was told Ms Pehlivanidis suffered “significant dementia” and it was “difficult to get her into a setting like the court” due to factors including aggression.

A prosecutor told the court he took no issue with her non-appearance.

The prosecutor asked the court to adjourn the case for three months to allow for the provision of outstanding material to defence including body worn footage, listening device evidence, drug information from New South Wales and further police statements including from the investigating officer.

Kosta Pehlivanidis leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: Jordanna Schriever

The prosecutor said information in relation to Ms Pehlivanidis medical condition was also pending.

The court has previously heard the case was “slightly more complicated than what you might call an ordinary drug trafficking matter”.

Police will allege the duo intercepted an 8kg package of cocaine – worth up to $3.2 million – bound for their Flinders Park home. Police said they had replaced the illicit drug with an inert substance before conducting a “controlled delivery”.

They will allege Ms Pehlivanidis had asked the delivery person to leave the package at the rear of her home, before police returned hours later to discover her with her grandson in the shed with the package.

In a separate hearing earlier this year, the District Court froze Ms Pehlivanidis assets including her house, pension and life savings as “possible proceeds of crime”.

Ms Pehlivanidis has previously spoken to media to deny knowing anything about the cocaine and said she had “never even smoked a cigarette”.

The pair are due to return to court in February 2024, where they are expected to enter pleas to a charge of attempting to traffic in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.