British footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with an attempt to smuggle cannabis valued at £600,000 ($800,000) through a UK airport.
Emmanuel-Thomas, who began his career at Arsenal and currently plays for Greenock Morton in Scotland’s second tier, was arrested at his home near Glasgow on Wednesday, according to reports from the Press Association (PA).
The 33-year-old forward was taken into custody and transferred to Carlisle, in northern England, for questioning by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Emmanuel-Thomas started his professional career at Arsenal, making five appearances, including a Champions League outing against Shakhtar Donetsk in November 2010.
He later had stints with Ipswich Town, Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers, and Aberdeen, and also played for PTT Rayong in Thailand.
The drug-smuggling case emerged after customs officers discovered approximately 60 kilogrammes (130 pounds) of cannabis in two suitcases at Stansted Airport, which had arrived on a flight from Bangkok on September 2.
Two women were also arrested in connection with the incident.
Emmanuel-Thomas is set to appear in court in Carlisle on Thursday, facing charges related to the importation of Class B drugs.
In August, the National Crime Agency issued a warning to travelers arriving from Thailand, Canada, and the United States, highlighting the severe penalties for attempting to smuggle cannabis into the UK.
Those convicted face up to 14 years in prison.