A WORCESTER man and woman were caught smuggling cocaine with a street value of £400,000 into the country from Africa.

Sandra Da Rocha, aged 26, and Stanislav Sasmil, 25, were both sentenced to eight years in prison at Worcester Crown Court yesterday after they admitted trafficking 3.02kg of the class A drug.

Rhona Campbell, prosecuting, said that on Sunday, February 1, Sasmil, of Wyld's Lane, arrived at Birmingham International Airport at 9am, on a flight from Gambia, via Brussels.

She said: “He went through the green channel carrying two suitcases and was stopped. One suitcase had female clothing and had four packages in it.”

Customs officers later found more of the drug.

“In interview Sasmil said he had been recruited at a pub in Worcester and said they would both get £1,500 on arrival,” she said.

Sasmil told officers he was given the cocaine in Gambia.

The prosecuting barrister said Da Rocha, who lived at a different address in Wyld’s Lane, had arrived on a different flight from Brussels, which landed at Birmingham two hours later.

She was arrested after customs officers realised the suitcase containing women’s clothing belonged to her.

Ms Campbell added: “Her passport was analysed and traces of cocaine were found on it.” In interview with police Da Rocha admitted her role in the smuggling.

Sasmil also admitted actual bodily harm, after he and another man kicked and punched a homeless man, who was in a sleeping bag in Deansway, on December 28 last year.

Gareth Walters, defending, said both clients had been “model prisoners” since returning to England. He said Sasmil was “unlikely” to repeat the offence and Da Rocha would now be parted from seeing her three children who live with an ex-partner in Holland.

He added that the attack by Sasmil on the homeless man had been a revenge attack.

In sentencing the couple Judge Andrew Geddes said: “This offence is very, very serious due to the damage drugs do to society.”

Sasmil was given an additional six months for the actual bodily harm offence.

Speaking after the case John Theobald, senior investigation officer for HM Revenue & Customs welcomed the sentence.

"Officers carried out a first class operation to detect and seize this major consignment of cocaine destined for the streets of the UK,” he said. "The success of this operation should send a clear message to organised crime gangs – our intelligence and detection skills are second to none.

“It represents a significant step forward in fighting the war on drugs.

"We will continue to protect society from its devastating effects which not only impact on those taking this illegal drug but on the whole of our communities.”