Arsenal's ex-striker charged in £600,000 drug bust

Arsenal academy product Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged by police for allegedly attempting to smuggle £600,000 worth of marijuana into the country.

The 33-year-old was arrested on Wednesday by the NCA (National Crime Agency) after Border Force officials seized two suitcases containing 60Kg of drugs.

The contraband had been flown in from Bangkok and arrived in London Stansted Airport on Tuesday, September 2nd.

Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged with smuggling class B drugs and is due to appear in Carlisle on Thursday (September 19).

The NCA have also arrested two women, aged 28 and 32, in connection with the crime, with Emmanuel-Thomas being held in police custody since his arrest.

The ex-Arsenal man could now face a long stint in prison, with the maximum sentence for cannabis importation into the UK being 14 years behind bars.

Ex-Arsenal man Jay Emmanuel-Thomas in drug bust trouble

The striker rose through the youth ranks at the North London giants, going on to make five senior appearances for the club before joining Bristol City in 2013.

His time in Bristol was his most prolific in terms of playing time and goals, scoring 33 in 103 appearances across all competitions for the club.

Emmanuel-Thomas is currently plying his trade for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship after signing in the summer, though it’s unlikely he will feature for them again.

In a statement made by the NCA, senior investigating officer David Phillips 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.”

In other news, Arsenal fans explode as ‘disgusting’ Declan Rice VAR footage emerges.

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