Ex-Arsenal Star Jay Emmanuel-Thomas Arrested and Charged for Cannabis Import at London Airport

Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged with importing cannabis after a major seizure at Stansted Airport. The 33-year-old, who currently plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship, was detained by Scotland's National Crime Agency (NCA) following the discovery of 60 kilograms of cannabis worth £600,000 ($793,620) in suitcases that arrived on a flight from Bangkok on September 2. Emmanuel-Thomas is expected to appear at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The NCA's senior investigating officer, David Phillips, emphasized the agency's ongoing efforts to combat drug smuggling in collaboration with Border Force. He stated, "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' arrest follows the detention of two women, aged 28 and 32, at Stansted, who were also charged with drug importation offences. They appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and were bailed to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Greenock Morton has acknowledged the situation but refrained from making any comments. Emmanuel-Thomas, who joined Arsenal's academy at the age of eight and captained the team to an FA Youth Cup victory in 2009, made a single senior appearance for Arsenal before moving on to play for various clubs, including Ipswich Town, Bristol City, and Queens Park Rangers, as well as stints in Thailand and India.

The NCA has issued warnings to travelers from Thailand, Canada, and the United States about the severe penalties for attempting to bring cannabis into the UK, where the maximum sentence for cannabis importation is 14 years in prison.