Ex-Arsenal star arrested and 'charged with importing drugs worth £600k' in alleged Bangkok plot
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged by police for allegedly trying to smuggle around £600,000 worth of cannabis at Stansted Airport.
Former Arsenal player Emmanuel-Thomas, who played for the likes of Bristol City and Aberdeen, was arrested at his home in Cardwell Road, Gourock, on Wednesday and taken to Carlisle for questioning.
The 33-year-old has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear before Carlisle Magistrates on Thursday, accused of importing class B drugs.
Around 60 kilos of cannabis was found in two suitcases that arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, last month.
Advert
The National Crime Agency (NCA) made the discovery, valuing it around £600,000.
Two women, aged 28 and 32, were also arrested at Stansted airport on September 2 following the discovery.
They were questioned by the NCA before being released on bail.
In August, the NCA issued a warning to travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they faced jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the country after a series of arrests.
The maximum sentence for cannabis importation in the UK is up to 14 years in prison.
NCA senior investigating officer David Phillips said: "The NCA continues to work with partners like Border Force to target those involved in drug smuggling - that includes both the couriers and the organisers.
"We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in any kind of smuggling to think very carefully about the likely consequences of their actions and the potentially life-changing risks they will be taking."
Emmanuel-Thomas graduated from Arsenal's youth academy and went onto make five appearances for the club before leaving the North London outfit.
He enjoyed loan spells at Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers and Cardiff City before signing for Ipswich Town on a permanent deal.
The forward then moved to Bristol City, where he enjoyed the best spell of his career, scoring 33 goals in 103 matches, including a memorable strike against Bristol Rovers.
Emmanuel-Thomas currently plays for Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton.
Nasir Jabbar