A SOUTHWOLD man who took delivery of two suitcases from India containing cannabis with a street value of �26,000 has been jailed for 16 months.

Officers from the UK Border Agency discovered 7.75kgs of cannabis resin in the cases after x-raying them on their arrival in the country, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

They then arranged a 'controlled delivery' of the two cases, which were addressed to an 'Emma Taylor' at an address in Foster Close, Southwold.

Claire Hennessey, prosecuting, said the door of the Southwold property was answered by Terrence Smith and when he was asked for Emma Taylor, he said 'Yes' and said he was happy to take delivery for her.

'He signed for it and took both suitcases into the property,' she told the court.

Shortly afterwards, police officers arrived at the house with a search warrant and seized the suitcases.

In addition to the cannabis in the cases, officers also found four cannabis plants and skunk cannabis worth �300 and herbal cannabis worth �1,400.

Smith, 56, of Foster Close, Southwold admitted attempting to smuggle cannabis resin into the country in June last year, producing four cannabis plants and possessing cannabis.

Jailing Smith for 16 months on Monday, Judge Rupert Overbury said that although the wholesale value of the cannabis resin found in the suitcases was �9,000 the estimated street value of the drugs was �26,000.

He said he did not accept that Smith failed toappreciate the consequences of what he was doing.

'You knew exactly what you were getting into,' said Judge Overbury.

Without people like Smith, he said, those higher up the chain would find it much more difficult to import drugs.

He said that Smith would have received between half and three quarters of a kilo of cannabis for his involvement in the importation.

After hearing that Smith was in poor health, Judge Overbury said plenty of other people suffered poor health but did not resort to breaking the law.

Smith had also failed help the police by giving them information about the person who was due to collect the suitcases from his house, he added.

Lori Tucker, for Smith, said her client was in poor health and that when the police went into the house suitcases were at the bottom of the stairs unopened.