Ex-Arsenal player charged after £600,000 of cannabis seized at UK airport

Professional footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has appeared successful tribunal aft helium was charged with orchestrating the attempted importation of drugs.

The 33-year-old striker, who presently plays for Greenock Morton, was arrested astatine his location successful Gourock, adjacent Glasgow, connected Wednesday and taken to Carlisle for questioning.

The father-of-two did not participate a plea to the complaint astatine Carlisle Magistrates tribunal but his lawyer said helium "strenuously" denied engagement successful immoderate program to import drugs to the UK and helium wanted to wide his sanction astatine trial.

It comes aft officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) discovered 60kg of cannabis with an estimated worth of £600,000 successful suitcases arriving astatine Stansted Airport from Bangkok.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson told the tribunal that 2 women aged 28 and 32, had been arrested pursuing the discovery.

She said that they were travelling concern people into the UK from Bangkok via Dubai.

The tribunal heard that 1 of the women is the spouse of Emmanuel-Thomas.

A full of 4 suitcases were said to person been seized. Some 29kg of cannabis were dispersed crossed 2 of these, with 31kg contained successful the remaining two.

After being questioned by the NCA, some women were charged with cause importation offences.

They appeared earlier Chelmsford Magistrates Court and were bailed to look astatine Chelmsford Crown Court connected 1 October.

Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested soon aft 08:00 connected Wednesday successful Gourock successful an cognition which progressive some NCA and Police Scotland officers.

He appeared successful tribunal astatine Carlisle arsenic it was the closest geographically to Scotland, wherever helium was arrested.

Phone grounds was said to person been collected by instrumentality enforcement officers, the tribunal heard.

Ms Jackson said: “It shows that helium carried retired extended probe into flights and directions, which airports the females had been coming into. It is said this is not the archetypal travel helium has arranged.”

Nathaniel Gadsby, representing Emmanuel-Thomas, said: “He does strenuously contradict immoderate engagement successful immoderate program to import drugs into the UK. He is anxious to wide his sanction astatine trial.”

He added: “Mr Emmanuel-Thomas is simply a 33-year-old man, bully character, nary convictions.

"He has been a nonrecreational shot subordinate for each his big beingness and played astatine a fig of apical teams crossed the UK.”

For the purposes of administration, the territory justice said helium was treating Emmanuel-Thomas’ nary plea arsenic a not blameworthy plea.

A ineligible advisor said the complaint was specified that it could beryllium dealt with astatine a magistrates’ oregon crown court.

But lawman territory justice Steven Jonas ruled the allegation was excessively superior to beryllium dealt with successful a magistrates’ court.

Emmanuel-Thomas was remanded successful custody aft an exertion for bail was rejected.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is simply a erstwhile England under-17 and under-19 planetary who has antecedently played for clubs including Livingston, Aberdeen, Ipswich town, Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal, Cardiff City and Thai squad PTT Rayong.

The striker signed a six-month declaration with Scottish Championship broadside Greenock Morton successful July.

In August, the NCA issued a informing to travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they faced jailhouse sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the state aft a surge successful arrests.

The bureau said the magnitude of cannabis seized truthful acold successful 2024 was already much than 3 times the fig for the full of 2023.

The maximum condemnation for cannabis importation successful the UK is up to 14 years successful prison.

NCA elder investigating serviceman David Phillips said: "The NCA continues to enactment with partners similar Border Force to people those progressive successful cause smuggling - that includes some the couriers and the organisers.

"We would entreaty to anyone who is approached to prosecute successful immoderate benignant of smuggling to deliberation precise cautiously astir the apt consequences of their actions and the perchance life-changing risks they volition beryllium taking."