Professional 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 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 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.”

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.

Greenock Morton said in a statement: “The club is aware of an ongoing matter relating to one of our first-team players which has been publicised by various media outlets.

“The club is currently awaiting further information from the relevant bodies and due to the nature of the situation, we will be unable to make any comment beyond this statement at this time.”