Former Arsenal Striker Dismissed by Club Following Charges in £600K Drug Importation Scheme

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, former Arsenal striker, has been dismissed by Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton FC after being charged with attempting to smuggle £600,000 worth of cannabis into the UK.

The 33-year-old forward was arrested by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in Gourock, Scotland, on Wednesday, following the discovery of 60kg of cannabis in two suitcases arriving from Bangkok earlier this month. Emmanuel-Thomas faces charges of importing Class B drugs and appeared at Carlisle Magistrates Court on Thursday, where he did not enter a plea. His lawyer, however, stated that he "strenuously" denies any involvement in the drug smuggling operation.

In a brief statement posted on social media, Greenock Morton FC confirmed the immediate termination of Emmanuel-Thomas' contract:

Two women, aged 28 and 32, also appeared in connection with the case at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, where they were granted bail. They are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Emmanuel-Thomas, once a rising star at Arsenal, began his career at the club's academy in 1998. Though he only made one senior appearance for Arsenal, he had loan spells at Blackpool, Doncaster Rovers, and Cardiff City. His most notable performances came during his stints with Ipswich Town (2011-2013) and Bristol City, where he had his most successful spells.

His career later took him across multiple leagues, including time with Livingston, Aberdeen, Indian side Jamshedpur, and Thailand's PTT Rayong. Emmanuel-Thomas returned to the UK earlier this year to play for Kidderminster Harriers before signing with Greenock Morton.