Footballer charged after £600,000 of cannabis seized at UK airport

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with an attempt to smuggle £600,000 of cannabis through Stansted Airport

Former Bristol City footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with an attempt to smuggle £600,000 of cannabis through Stansted Airport. The 33-year-old striker, who currently plays for Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton, was arrested by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers shortly after 8am on Wednesday (September 18) in Gourock, Inverclyde.

The former Livingston, Aberdeen and Arsenal academy product, who lives in Cardwell Road in Gourock, was detained and questioned by officers, and has been remanded in custody ahead of an expected court appearance on Thursday. Emmanuel-Thomas has also played for Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers and Thai side PTT Rayong.

The arrest came after the NCA seized an estimated £600,000 of the class B drug as it was being smuggled through Stansted Airport on September 2. Border Force officers detected roughly 60kg of the drug in two suitcases, which had arrived via a flight from Bangkok, Thailand.

Emmanuel-Thomas is expected to appear before Carlisle Magistrates Court on Thursday (September 19) accused of importing class B drugs. Two women aged 28 and 32 were arrested and appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. They were bailed to appear before Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

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."

Looking for Bristol Court & Crime top stories in one place? Sign up for our newsletter here.

It comes after the NCA issued a warning to travellers arriving into the UK from Thailand, Canada and the United States that they face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the country, after a huge upsurge in arrests.

So far this year, the agency says the amount of cannabis seized is more than three times that in 2023. The NCA also said drug couriers often report being told by their superiors they only risk a fine if caught, when in reality the maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis into the UK is 14 years behind bars.

Bristol Live WhatsApp Breaking News and Top Stories

Join Bristol Live’s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone

Bristol Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.

Through the app, we’ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.

To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.

No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team.

We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.

To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.

If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Click here to join our WhatsApp community.