Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged as part of an alleged plot to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis into the UK.

The 33-year-old was arrested on Wednesday by the National Crime Agency (NCA) after Border Force officials seized two suitcases containing 60 kilos of drugs that had been flown into Stansted Airport from Bangkok in Thailand on September 2.

Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged with importing class B drugs and is due to appear at Carlisle magistrates court on Thursday after being held in police custody. The NCA have also arrested and charged two women as part of the investigation.

NCA senior investigating officer David Phillips has 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.”

Emmanuel-Thomas graduated out of Arsenal’s famed academy system and made five senior appearances for the club. He left north London in 2011 and has spent time at QPR, Ipswich Town, and MK Dons, Livingston, Aberdeen, and Indian Super League with Jamshedpur. The former England U19 international joined Scottish side Greenock Morton after leaving Kidderminster Harriers over the summer.

Goal