Former Arsenal striker admits plot to smuggle £600k of cannabis

He was arrested last year at Stansted Airport

A former Arsenal, Ipswich Town and Bristol City striker has admitted to a plot to smuggle £600k worth of cannabis into the UK.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested on 2 September 2024 at Stansted Airport after returning with drugs from Thailand via Dubai as per prosecutors.

The 34-year-old was found with multiple suitcases full of 60kg of cannabis with a value of £600k.

Upon being charged, he was sacked by Scottish club Greenock Morton where he was at the time.

The journey man footballer has played for a variety of clubs in England and Scotland including Arsenal, Aberdeen, Ipswich Town, QPR, Blackpool as well as England at youth level.

The father-of-two will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court at a later date.

Emmanuel-Thomas pleaded guilty earlier in the month, with reporting restrictions being lifted today (Wednesday 21 May).

Charges against two other people were dropped after the court found they honestly believed they "were importing gold, not cannabis".

The maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis into the UK is 14 years in jail.