Sep 19, 2024, 09:13 AM ETJay Emmanuel-Thomas once made five appearances at Arsenal but now plays for Scottish side Greenock Morton. Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images
British footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with trying to smuggle cannabis worth £600,000 ($800,000) through a British airport.
Emmanuel-Thomas, who began his career at Arsenal but now plays for Scottish second-tier side Greenock Morton, was arrested at his home near Glasgow early on Wednesday, the Press Association (PA) agency have reported.
The 33-year-old forward was detained by police and taken to the northern English city of Carlisle to be questioned, the National Crime Agency said.
He started his career at Arsenal, where he played five games including in the Champions League at Shakhtar Donetsk in November 2010.
He later played for English clubs Ipswich, Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers, Aberdeen in Scotland, and in Thailand for PTT Rayong.
The drug-smuggling case followed customs officers detecting about 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of cannabis in two suitcases at Stansted airport near London that arrived on a flight from Bangkok on Sept. 2. Two women were arrested.
Emmanuel-Thomas is expected to appear in court Thursday in Carlisle accused of importing class B drugs, PA reported.
In August, the National Crime Agency warned travellers arriving from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the United Kingdom. The maximum sentence for drug couriers is 14 years.
