Professional Footballer Arrested and Charged with Drug Importation
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, a 33-year-old professional footballer, has been charged with attempting to import £600,000 worth of cannabis into the UK. The former England under-17 and under-19 international was arrested at his home in Gourock, Scotland, and appeared in court in Carlisle, England.
According to prosecutors, Emmanuel-Thomas orchestrated the attempted importation of 60kg of cannabis, which was discovered in suitcases arriving at Stansted Airport from Bangkok. The drugs were found in four suitcases, with 29kg in two and 31kg in the remaining two.
Two women, aged 28 and 32, who are believed to be Emmanuel-Thomas’ partner and another woman, were also arrested in connection with the incident. They were charged with drug importation offenses and appeared in court, where they were bailed to appear in October.
Emmanuel-Thomas, who currently plays for Greenock Morton in Scotland, did not enter a plea during his court appearance, but his lawyer denied any involvement in the alleged drug trafficking scheme. The lawyer stated that Emmanuel-Thomas wants to clear his name at trial.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) discovered the drugs as part of an operation involving both NCA and Police Scotland officers. Phone evidence was collected, which showed that Emmanuel-Thomas had conducted extensive research on flights and directions, suggesting that this was not his first trip arranging drug imports.
The NCA has warned travelers arriving in the UK from Thailand, Canada, and the US that they face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into the country. The agency has seen a surge in arrests this year, with the amount of cannabis seized already exceeding the total for 2023.
Emmanuel-Thomas was remanded in custody after an application for bail was rejected, and the case will proceed to trial. The maximum sentence for cannabis importation in the UK is up to 14 years in prison.
