A Warilla woman who once enjoyed a lifestyle funded by her million-dollar meth business has learnt her fate after she was caught counting drug money inside an Albion Park Rail storage unit.
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"It makes me happy," Natascha Consigli was recorded saying from inside the unit as she packed $100 notes into boxes during December 2021.
But the 48-year-old wasn't happy on Wednesday.
Sitting in the dock at Wollongong District Court, Consigli bowed her head and sobbed as she was sentenced to two years and six months jail for her crimes.
Judge Andrew Haesler fixed a non-parole period of one year and three months, making her eligible for release in August next year.
Consigli had a blank criminal record before she pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying an indictable amount of drugs and one count of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime - being almost $1 million in cash.
She and her alleged co-accused came undone after Strike Force Kimbricki and Strike Force Tower were established to investigate drug supply across the South Coast.
Between September and December 2021, Consigli and the alleged co-offender supplied more than half a kilo of meth, according to tendered court documents.
But Consigli was only charged in relation to a small portion. Police identified her as a delivery driver and being involved in discussions about the sale of drugs.
On August 17, 2021, police were conducting surveillance when Consigli delivered one ball (2.54 grams of meth) to a male supplier.
The following month, Consigli went to deliver 42.75 grams of meth to that same supplier, however upon arrival, realised she had the wrong amount on her.
Consigli left and intended to return, however the sale was never completed after police caught the male supplier with a small quantity of the drug.
He called Consigli and said "we just got pulled over" and "they found everything".
The court heard surveillance gear was also installed inside an Albion Park Rail storage facility used by Consigli, who was captured in November 2021 counting bundles of $100 notes while donning latex gloves.
She was again recorded in the unit in December 2021 saying to her co-accused "I miss playing with it ... it makes me happy" as she packed money into boxes before spraying them with disinfectant.
Police raided the storage unit - which had $943,000 inside - on December 16 and arrested Consigli in Port Kembla later that day.
She was bailed and remained on conditional liberty for 17 months, until Wednesday.
Judge Haesler accepted most of the operation was controlled by Consigli's alleged co-accused. He said Consigli, who has borderline personality disorder, became involved to impress her co-accused due to her chronic fear of abandonment.
Her level of active involvement and knowledge of the operation's enormity warranted a sentence of full-time custody.
"Her role was more than that of someone carting the drugs from A to B," Judge Haesler said.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
