Cynthia Ballo: Greenfield Park local ditches appeal after dial-a-dealer cocaine bust

An aspiring teacher who was busted dealing cocaine in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has withdrawn an appeal to her jail sentence.

A dial-a-dealer who was busted with almost a dozen bags of cocaine inside her bra has withdrawn a District Court appeal at the 11th hour.

Cynthia Ballo, 20, was sentenced to 12-month jail sentence to be served in the community by way of an intensive corrections order for ongoing drug supply in May.

The aspiring teacher had lodged an appeal which was listed to be heard before Sydney District Court on Wednesday.

However, her lawyer Zahir Zakaria appeared by videolink on Ballo’s behalf and formally withdrew the appeal without any explanation.

Ballo was caught with 11 bags of cocaine in her bra by police officers at Potts Point on May 9, 2021. The car in which she was a passenger in had $1500 cash in the glovebox, and court documents previously tendered stated Ballo had made five cocaine sales already that night.

Cynthia Ballo leaving Downing Centre. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone.

Cynthia Ballo (right) with her mother outside court. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone.

A court heard Ballo and a male friend roused the suspicion of police when an unknown person entered and exited a car they were driving along Orwell St, Potts Point.

After being asked to leave the car and undergo a search by police, Ballo told the officers of the drugs hidden in her bra.

When Ballo was sentenced in the Local Court, Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis rejected her previous claim she was unaware of her participation in the dial-a-dealer operation.

“It was clear that she facilitated these offences … to describe it as a fall from grace is an understatement,” Mr Tsavdaridis said.