Cassie Sainsbury, pictured with fiance Scotty Broadbridge, is awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges in Colombia’s El Buen Pastor prison. Picture: Supplied

Ms Sainsbury, 22, is currently awaiting trial in the notorious El Buen Pastor women’s jail in the Colombian capital Bogota after she was allegedly caught with almost 6kg of cocaine inside her suitcase.

The young woman from Moana in South Australia was arrested at El Dorado International Airport on April 11 after an X-ray allegedly revealed something suspicious in her suitcase.

A search allegedly uncovered 5.8kg of cocaine concealed inside 15 sets of headphones Ms Sainsbury apparently bought as gifts for friends.

According to data from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s Illicit Drug Data Report, the average price of a kilogram of cocaine in Australia is around $220,000.

But given that a single gram of the drug costs a minimum of $300 per gram, the street value of 5.8kg would have been more than $1.7 million.

In contrast, whoever purchased the cocaine found in Ms Sainsbury’s bag would have paid little more than $20,000 for the entire stash.

Over the years the Australian Federal Police have seized hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, much of it imported from Colombia, in border drug detections.

It is unclear how much co-operation goes on between the AFP and its Colombian counterparts but our federal police apparently had nothing to do with Ms Sainsbury’s case.

Earlier today, news.com.au asked the AFP if it had received any requests for assistance or co-operation regarding Ms Sainsbury’s alleged activities in Bogota — either before or after her arrest.

Cassie Sainsbury claims she was set up by a man who befriended her on a working holiday in ColombiaSource:Instagram

Cassie posted this picture of her first tattoo, a Harry Potter quote which says: 'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good', to Instagram late last year.Source:Instagram

The answer was no.

“The AFP has not provided any information or assistance to Colombian authorities in relation to Ms Sainsbury,” an AFP spokesman said in an email.

If that is true, it would appear that law enforcement in both countries did not believe there was a syndicate waiting at the Australian end to distribute the cocaine.

Ms Sainsbury’s family claims she was set up while on a working holiday in the South American country, which is internationally notorious for cocaine production.

Almost 6kg of the drug was allegedly found packed inside 15 headphones she claimed to have bought on the cheap from a man who had been acting as her translator.

“He had been helping her all week, taking her around and showing her places, and just being a nice guy,” Ms Sainsbury’s mother Lisa Evans said.

Ms Evans claims her daughter packed the headphones — which had all been meticulously wrapped in plastic — into her suitcase without checking them and had no knowledge of the hidden contraband.

Cassie Sainsbury, 22, and her fiance Scotty Broadbridge in an undated photo.Source:Facebook

A stressed-looking Khala Sainsbury, Cassie’s sister, talks with her sister’s lawyer on the phone. Picture Dean MartinSource:News Corp Australia

She said Ms Sainsbury was scheduled to marry her fiance Scotty Broadbridge in February next year and wanted to buy some gifts for her bridal party, as well as for her family and friends.

“She mentioned about these headphones she wanted to get and this man said to her ‘I know a guy that if you buy 16 or 18 of them, he can give you a really good price’,” Ms Evans said.

On the day of the flight, the man came to her hotel and gave her the headphones, which were individually wrapped, possibly in black plastic.

“And this is where the naive bit comes in, she didn’t even rip it open to make sure it was headphones in there,” Ms Evans said.

Ms Evans said the family had hired a respected lawyer who was advising Cassie to plead guilty to avoid a potential jail sentence of between 18 to 25 years.

The minimum sentence is six years but Ms Evans is hoping it will be reduced to four if she provides information about the man who gave her the drugs.

“I would rather her do four than 18 (years),” she said.

Ms Sainsbury’s sister Khala has set up a fundraising page to pay for legal fees.