Former Premier League Player Charged After Allegedly Trying To Smuggle 60 Kg (132 Lbs) Of Cannabis Into UK

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, a former striker for football/soccer club Arsenal, has been charged following an alleged attempt to smuggle £600,000 ($796,794) worth of cannabis into the UK through Stansted Airport. As The Telegraph reported, the 33-year-old, who currently plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship, was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers on Wednesday in Gourock, Inverclyde.

What Happened: The arrest came after Border Force officers reportedly discovered approximately 60kg (132 lbs) of cannabis, a Class B drug in the UK's controlled drug list, in two suitcases that had arrived on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, on September 2. The NCA estimated the haul to be worth £600,000.

Emmanuel-Thomas, who once played for Ipswich Town, Queens Park Rangers and Bristol City, as well as Arsenal at youth level, was detained and questioned by officers before being remanded in custody. He is expected to appear before Carlisle Magistrates Court on Thursday.

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NCA And Border Force Joint Efforts

David Phillips, NCA's 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 organizers." He also urged individuals approached to engage in such activities to "think very carefully about the likely consequences of their actions and the potentially life-changing risks they will be taking."

This arrest follows a sharp increase in the amount of cannabis being seized at U.K. borders, particularly from travelers arriving from Thailand, Canada and the United States. The NCA has warned that drug couriers are often misled by superiors into believing they face only fines if caught, though the maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis into the UK is 14 years in prison.

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