Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged by police for allegedly trying to smuggle £600,000 of cannabis into the UK.
Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested on Wednesday by the National Crime Agency and has been charged with importing Class B drugs. It comes after the Border Force at Stansted Airport discovered 60kg of cannabis inside two suitcases which had flown from Bangkok, Thailand, on September 2.
The 33-year-old footballer, who now plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship, is due to appear at Carlisle magistrates court later on Thursday. The NCA said two women aged 28 and 32 have also been arrested in connection with the seizure.
Border Forces seized 60kg of cannabis at Stansted Airport (
Image: NCA)
Emmanuel-Thomas came through the Arsenal youth system and made his senior debut in January 2010.
He made five appearances for the club in total and was sent out on loan to Blackpool, Doncaster and Cardiff before leaving permanently for Ipswich in 2011.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas played for Arsenal between 2008 and 2011 (
Image: OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP via Getty Images)
The forward, who lives in Cardwell Road in Gourock, has since played for clubs including Bristol City, QPR, Gillingham, Livingston and Aberdeen, while also venturing abroad to the now-defunct Thai club PTT Rayong and Indian side Jamshedpur.
After being released by Kidderminster Harriers, he signed a six-month contract with Greenock Morton in July. He has made six appearances for Greenock this season, scoring one goal.
