Former Arsenal striker, JAY EMMANUEL-THOMAS, charged with importing cannabis seized at London Airport

Thursday, September 19, 2024 - Former Arsenal striker, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, has been refused bail after he was charged with importing drugs following '£600,000 of cannabis' being seized at Stansted Airport in London.

The Greenock Morton striker, 33, who joined the club earlier this summer on a free transfer, was arrested at 8am on Wednesday, September 18, after UK Border Force officials found the substance inside several suitcases which had arrived in the United Kingdom on a flight from Bangkok on September 2.

According to the National Crime Agency (NCA) around 60 kilograms of the drug were found in two suitcases.

NCA officers subsequently detained the footballer and has since been charged with importing class B drugs.

The father-of-two was transported to Carlisle to be questioned and appeared in front of Deputy District Judge Steven Jonas at the city's magistrates' court on Thursday.

No plea was entered to the charge when it was read to him by the court legal advisor on the instruction of his lawyer, Nathaniel Gadsby.

Mr Gadsby said: 'He [Emmanuel-Thomas] does strenuously deny any involvement in any plan to import drugs into the UK. He is eager to clear his name at trial.'

Two women, aged 28 and 32 had also been arrested at Stansted Airport, according to the NCA, and were also charged with drug importation offences.

Both were issued bail after appearing before Chelmsford Magistrates Court and are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Senior Investigating Officer for the NCA, 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's youth academy when he was eight years old but failed to have an impact in the first-team after graduating from the Gunners' academy.

He made his Premier League debut for the club during a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea in October 2010. A month later he would make his Champions League bow in a 2-1 defeat by Shakhtar, before leaving Arsenal to join Ipswich for £1.1million in 2011.