Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, currently playing for Scottish club Greenock Morton, has been charged in connection with an alleged attempt to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis through Stansted Airport.
The 33-year-old was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers at his home in Gourock, Inverclyde, on Wednesday morning.
This followed the seizure of approximately 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases, reportedly detected by Border Force officers on September 2, after a flight from Bangkok, Thailand.
Emmanuel-Thomas has previously played for Ipswich Town, Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, and clubs in Scotland and is scheduled to appear before Carlisle Magistrates Court.
The former Arsenal youth player, who made only one senior appearance for the London club, also had a stint playing football in Thailand in 2019.
The NCA has warned travellers entering the UK from countries like Thailand, Canada, and the United States about the consequences of smuggling cannabis, as arrests for this crime have surged.
NCA’s senior investigating officer David Phillips emphasized the risks involved in drug smuggling, noting the severe penalties, including a potential 14-year prison sentence.
The agency has reported a significant increase in the amount of cannabis seized this year, more than triple that of 2023.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
