Former professional footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 33, was arrested after attempting to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis through Stansted Airport. The striker, who played for Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton, was detained by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers on Wednesday in Gourock, Inverclyde.
Emmanuel-Thomas was involved in the drug smuggling attempt on September 2, when Border Force officers discovered 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases that had arrived on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand. The discovery led to the arrest of two women, aged 28 and 32, who were later released on bail and are set to appear in court on October 1.
As a result of the charges, Greenock Morton announced the immediate termination of Emmanuel-Thomas’s contract, confirming in a brief statement that no further comment would be made on the matter.
Previously, Emmanuel-Thomas played for clubs including Livingston, Aberdeen, and Arsenal, and was most recently with Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League. His football career began in the Arsenal Academy, and he made his professional debut for the club in 2008 before moving on to several other teams.
David Phillips, a senior NCA officer, reiterated the agency’s commitment to targeting both couriers and those organizing drug smuggling operations. He warned those involved in smuggling of the serious consequences, including jail time, which can reach up to 14 years for attempting to bring cannabis into the UK.
The NCA has seen a sharp increase in cannabis smuggling attempts this year, with the number of arrests significantly surpassing previous years.
