Melissa Corbacho: Warilla mum allegedly caught dealing heroin, meth over text

An Illawarra mother is facing 42 drug charges after allegedly using code words like ‘slow, hot, cold, balls and half balls’ to discuss deals.

A Warilla woman has been granted bail on a $10,000 surety after she was hit with more than 40 charges related to the supply of heroin and cocaine.

Melissa Corbacho, 40, was arrested on Wednesday, after a drug investigation titled Strike Force Glenayr allegedly revealed she’d been facilitating drug deals over text and phone calls between June and August 2020.

In applying for bail at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, Ms Corbacho’s defence lawyer told the court his client needed bail to care for her family, and that her mother could offer up a $10,000 cash surety.

While police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall opposed Ms Corbacho’s release, noting she had been charged with 42 drug supply charges, Magistrate Michael O’Brien granted bail, imposing strict conditions, including that she not use a mobile phone and not leave home unless accompanied by her mum.

Melissa Corbacho. Picture: Facebook

She was granted bail on February 3. Picture: Facebook

In documents tendered to the court, police allege Corbacho’s dealings took place over text and phone calls, and that she was in frequent contact with “customers”, referring to drugs with an array of codewords.

“During the calls, prospective buyers would enquire with words similar to ‘have you got’ or ‘are you good’ to establish if the accused was in possession of the drugs they required,” police allege in the documents.

“Terms such as papers, points, packets, gear, rocks, slow, hot, cold, balls and half balls were used by her and customers to establish amounts (of drugs) to be supplied.”

Through the course of the investigation, police allege it became evident that she was procuring drugs from a number of sources in the Illawarra, depending on who was in possession at the time, and that she had a drug dependency herself.

On one occasion in June 2020, police allege Ms Corbacho purchased 14.2grams of White China - a pure form of heroin, from an upline supplier for $7000.

The upline supplier allegedly delivered the drugs to her for a fee, according to the documents, telling her he “just picked up the cold”, prompting her to respond with “ok please, please I’m dying”.

On another occasion, police allegedly recorded Ms Corbacho agreeing to sell a man 0.5 grams of heroin for an agreed price of $200.

It’s alleged that Ms Corbacho was running late with the drug delivery, telling her customer “Sorry I’m going now… just had cops hanging out da front”.

In granting bail on Wednesday, Magistrate Michael O’Brien also ordered Ms Corbacho abstain from illicit substances and not enter any international departure point.

She will return to court next month.