UK
Former Arsenal footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas charged over £600,000 Stansted Airport cannabis haul
A professional footballer was arrested in Scotland on suspicion of orchestrating the attempted import of £600,000 worth of cannabis from Thailand through Stansted Airport.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 33, was detained by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in Gourock, Inverclyde, on Wednesday morning in an operation supported by Police Scotland.
Emmanuel-Thomas currently plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship.
London-born, he started his career at Arsenal and went on to play for various clubs, including Ipswich Town, Bristol City, QPR, Livingston and Aberdeen.
The cannabis seized at Stansted Airport. Pic: NCA
Pic: NCA
Following his arrest, Emmanuel-Thomas was moved to Carlisle for questioning and has since been charged.
He appeared before Carlisle Magistrates’ Court later on Thursday, where he made no plea to the charge of importing Class B drugs.
The footballer was remanded in custody ahead of his next court appearance, currently scheduled to be held at Carlisle Crown Court on 18 October.
The NCA said the drugs were seized at the London airport on 2 September, with two women arrested and charged.
Border Force officers were said to have found 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases which had arrived on a flight from Bangkok.
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The women charged, aged 28 and 32, appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and were bailed ahead of their next appearance at Chelmsford Crown Court on 1 October.
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The NCA said the amount of cannabis seized so far in 2024 is already over three times more than the whole of 2023.
David Phillips, NCA senior investigating officer, 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.”
A spokesperson for Greenock Morton said the club was aware of an “ongoing situation” but declined to comment.