Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, once described by Arsene Wenger as a player of exceptional quality, has been charged with drug trafficking after £600,000 worth of cannabis was seized at Stansted Airport.
The 33-year-old, who plays for Greenock Morton, was arrested on Wednesday morning as he landed in Britain from Thailand after cannabis was found in his luggage, writes A2 CNN. According to the National Crime Agency, about 60 kilograms of drugs were seized in two suitcases.
In addition to the player, two women, aged 28 and 32, were also arrested, who were also accused of drug trafficking.
But while they were released on bail, for Emmanuel-Thomas the judge refused.
Emmanuel-Thomas joined Arsenal's academy when he was just 8 years old, but failed to earn a regular place in the first team. In 2010 he made his Premier League debut in a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea, while a year later he was sold to Ipswich for £1.1 million.
After playing for Bristol, QPR and Gillingham for a few years, he moved to Thailand, where he played for PTT Rayong FC. But in recent years he has returned to the UK, playing for Livingston, Aberdeen and Kidderminster.