Professional footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged following the seizure of £600,000 worth of cannabis at Stansted Airport.
The former Aberdeen striker, currently playing for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship, was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers in Gourock, Inverclyde, on Wednesday morning. The 33-year-old, from Cardwell Road, was detained on suspicion of orchestrating an attempted drug smuggling operation.
The arrest follows the discovery of 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases by Border Force officers at Stansted Airport. The suitcases had arrived on a flight from Bangkok on September 2. Emmanuel-Thomas was subsequently taken to Carlisle for questioning.
In connection with the drug seizure, two women, aged 28 and 32, were also arrested. Both have been charged with drug importation offences and appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. They were bailed to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.
Emmanuel-Thomas has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear before Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 19.
Known as "JET" by fans, Emmanuel-Thomas is a former youth player for Arsenal and has had spells at clubs including Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, and Livingston.
Greenock Morton FC has been contacted for comment. Photo by Jon Candy, Wikimedia commons.