Ex-Arsenal starlet charged with importing £600k of cannabis

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Photo: Jamie McDonald/GETTY IMAGES

Former Arsenal prospect Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with the seizure of £600,000 worth of cannabis at London Stansted airport.

The 33-year-old was detained and questioned by National Crime Agency officers after 60kg of the Class B drug was discovered hidden in two suitcases that had been transported on a flight from Bangkok to Stansted on September 2.

Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested on Wednesday and remanded in custody before his appearance at Carlisle Magistrates on Thursday.

Two women, aged 28 and 32, have also been arrested in connection with the drugs seizure.

Both have been charged with drug importation offences and appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court before being bailed.

READ MORE: FA Cup winner accused of smuggling TWO TONS of cocaine

The maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis into the UK is 14 years behind bars.

In a statement, 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.

Emmanuel-Thomas joined Arsenal at the age of eight and was predicted to have a big career after excelling in the club's academy, winning the 2008/09 FA Youth Cup.

He debuted in January 2010 under Arsène Wenger, starting an FA Cup match against Stoke City.

The attacker struggled to make a break-through into the first team, though, and made just one Premier League appearance for the Gunners as a substitute in a 2-0 loss to Chelsea in 2011.

And after a series of loan spells, Emmanuel-Thomas signed for Ipswich Town in 2011 before going on to enjoy stints at Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers and Livingston in Scotland.

Most recently he was playing for Scottish second-tier side Greenock Morton, having signed a six-month deal with the club earlier this summer.

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