The family of an Australian mother jailed in Taiwan has been handed a glimmer of hope after she was granted a rare chance to appeal.
Debbie Voulgaris, aged 58, is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for drug smuggling. She was apprehended with Class A drugs valued at $1.9 million at Taoyuan International Airport on December 10, 2023.
The mother of five had no prior legal issues and initially ‘vehemently denied’ having any knowledge of the drugs. However, she later admitted guilt in hopes of avoiding the death penalty.
Ms. Voulgaris maintains her innocence, claiming she was framed by African scammers who had been in contact with her former husband, John.
Her children have diligently worked to prove her innocence since her arrest. Against the odds, they’ve been given what could be their mother’s final opportunity for freedom.
‘It’s going to be amazing; she has finally received some good news,’ her daughter Maria said, acknowledging that reaching this point was an achievement in itself.
‘We didn’t think we had any hope. It’s once in a blue moon this happens and we truly thought it wasn’t going to happen.
‘It’s a potential retrial and could mean a whole new verdict. I can’t even eat, that’s how excited I am.’
Debbie Voulgaris, 58, is serving 15 years for drug smuggling in a Taiwanese prison
The mum of five has been given a glimmer of hope with a rare appeal
According to facts tendered to the Taoyuan District Court, Ms Voulgaris landed in Malaysia on December 8, 2023, on a flight from Australia.
There, she met a group linked to an African drug syndicate who gave her the suitcase.
She then travelled on to Taiwan, allegedly unaware that it was loaded with heroin and cocaine worth around US$1.25million (AU$1.88million).
The drugs were detected by the airport’s X-ray screening system.
Ms Voulgaris has consistently maintained she took the trip as a favour to her ex-husband, who was unwittingly caught up in a scam.
She mentioned that her mother thought she was picking up chemicals intended for cleaning ‘marked money’ and did not believe her ex-husband would knowingly involve her in criminal activity.
Despite her guilty plea, Ms Voulgaris was handed a 16-year sentence – one of the harshest drug-related penalties given to an Australian overseas in recent years.
Her sentence was later reduced to 15 years by Taiwan’s High Court.
Ms Voulgaris has always maintained she took the trip as a favour to her ex-husband John (pictured)
Ms Voulgaris was handed a 16-year jail term which was later slightly reduced
In July this year, Ms Voulgaris’s appeal was denied, with her daughter claiming it was the direct result of her father’s refusal to help.
‘My mother’s appeal was rejected by the Taiwanese court, simply because the man who caused this, my father, was not willing to provide any video evidence or take accountability,’ she wrote in a Facebook post at the time.
The family then appealed for help to reach the 10,000 signatures needed to resubmit their application.
‘Now, I turn to you, Australia and anyone willing to listen, to please, help me be the voice for my mother,’ she continued.
‘Stand with me and my family, help spread the petition around in our local community and please, please help me get my mother home.
‘She’s innocent. I just want her home.’
Last week, on their TikTok support page A Voice for Debbie, Maria broke the news to their loyal supporters.
‘I’m so happy right now, I feel like I have been healed overnight,’ she said.
‘I’m not saying my mum is going to get out or that her sentence is going to get a miracle, but the fact we were able to get this onboard, wow.
‘13,000 people are authentic signatures.’
Debbie with her daughter Maria who is now supporting her mum in jail
In May 2024, Mr Voulgaris told Daily Mail Australia he and his wife had been set up by long-term business associates while the couple were innocently trying to make an overseas investment.
However, he did not respond to a subpoena ordering him to give evidence at Taoyuan District Court in August, and was a no-show at his ex-wife’s hearing.
During the hearing, Judge Chen Yen-Nien revealed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other authorities had confirmed Mr Voulgaris, who lives in Melbourne, had received the documents, but he still failed to turn up.
Ms Voulgaris’ lawyer at the time, Leon Huang, told the court it would be difficult to extradite him because he is an Australian citizen.
Judge Yen-Nien said without Mr Voulgaris’ testimony, which could help to clear his ex-wife, the court would have to rely on the evidence available to them.
