Cassie Sainsbury arrives in Australia for the first time since prison sentence in Colombia

Cassie Sainsbury has arrived in her home state of South Australia for the first time since serving her prison sentence in Colombia.

Convicted drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury, popularly known as “Cocaine Cassie”, has touched down in Australia for the first time since serving her Colombian prison sentence.

Sainsbury, a personal trainer from Adelaide, was found guilty of trying to smuggle 5.8kg of cocaine out of Colombia in April 2017 at 22 years old and spent three years of a six-year sentence behind bars in notorious El Buen Pastor women’s prison.

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Cassie Sainsbury arrived in Adelaide on Tuesday after touching down in Australia last week. Picture: Matt Loxton

She walked free in April 2020 but had to stay in Colombia as part of her parole conditions, having only returned to Australia last week.

The 27-year-old arrived in Adelaide from Sydney on Tuesday aboard a Qantas flight with her wife Tatiana and journalist Jonica Williams about 2pm.

A cameraman filmed as the group left the terminal, indicating a documentary is likely in the works.

Ms Williams tried to block other photographers from capturing Sainsbury’s movements, The Advertiser reported.

The publication said it was understood she had an agreement with Seven Network, however details of what that entailed were unknown.

She was with her wife Tatiana and journalist Jonica Williams. Picture: Matt Loxton

It was also unknown how any agreement would work within the confines of Australia’s strict laws that ban people from profiting from their crimes.

Sainsbury’s dad, who hasn’t spoken to his daughter in five years, last week revealed he was still fuming about his family’s reputation being damaged by her drug saga.

Stuart Sainsbury said he “only wanted her happy” and admitted the ongoing scrutiny of his family was still tough to manage.

“I am still pretty angry about it. My family was trashed … I’ve got an elderly mother to protect. I don’t know what to say. You smuggle cocaine. You do your time. I guess she’s done her time,” he told the publication.

“I don’t expect her to come up here. I don’t expect to see her. You can’t drag someone’s family through the dirt and not expect to be p**sed off. If she wants to talk to me, she knows where I am. I’m not going to trash her.”

Sainsbury may be working on a documentary. Picture: Todd Lewis

Sainsbury has returned for the first time since her prison sentence. Picture: Todd Lewis

Mr Sainsbury said he had been labelled as a drug smuggler because of his relation to the 27-year-old.

“I don’t think there are too many people around here who have anything nice to say about her,” he continued.

“I live in a tiny town just trying to make an honest living. I’m not a bikie that everyone says in the beginning and I’m not a drug smuggler.”

Cassie landed back in Australia after revealing she would be hopping between Colombia and her home country after setting up a new life overseas.

“I’m excited to go back (to Australia) yes – don’t get me wrong, my life is pretty much here in Colombia, and I’m starting a new English school, I’m married, I’m projecting myself in the best way possible,” she recently said in a post on Instagram.

She served just half of her six-year sentence behind bars. Picture: Instagram

“We’ll probably end up between Australia and Colombia because obviously her [Tatiana’s] family is here so it will be like, some time here, some time there type of thing.”

Despite spending 2 years, 11 months, and 21 days behind bars, Sainsbury – who has lost weight and speaks with a slight accent, said she “wouldn’t change” the experience of being locked up because it had made her a “stronger person”.

“I can say that I grew as a person, I grew up a lot, I learned a lot about myself, I learned a lot about people, I’ve learned how to analyse people better,” she told 60 Minutes in 2020.

Sainsbury will have to stay in Colombia for another 27 months as part of her parole conditions.

She originally faced more than 20 years locked up but later negotiated a six-year sentence with a plea deal.