Footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas charged after £600,000 of cannabis seized at Stansted Airport

Professional footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged after £600,000 worth of cannabis was seized at Stansted Airport.

The former Aberdeen striker, who currently plays for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship, was detained and questioned by National Crime Agency officers on suspicion of orchestrating the attempted drug smuggling.

The 33-year-old, of Cardwell Road in Gourock, was arrested in the Inverclyde town just after 8am on Wednesday in an operation supported by officers from Police Scotland.

Border Force officers detected around 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases which had arrived on a flight from Bangkok. NCA

He was taken across the border to Carlisle to be questioned.

The arrest comes after 60kg of drugs worth an estimated £600,000 were discovered in two suitcases by Border Force officers after a flight from Bangkok arrived at Stansted on September 2.

Border Force officers detected around 60 kilos of the drug in two suitcases which had arrived on a flight from Bangkok. NCA

Two women aged 28 and 32 were also arrested in connection with the drug bust.

They were charged with drug importation offences and appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates and were bailed to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Emmanuel-Thomas has been remanded in custody and is expected to appear before Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 19.

The striker, from London, who is known by supporters as JET, was in Arsenal’s youth setup and also played for Queens Park Rangers, Bristol City, and Livingston.

A Greenock Morton club statement read: “The club is aware of an ongoing matter relating to one of our first team players which has been publicised by various media outlets.

“The club is currently awaiting further information from the relevant bodies and due to the nature of the situation, we will be unable to make any comment beyond this statement at this time.”