Player in question played in Scotland and passed the Arsenal
Former Arsenal player admits to having orchestrated 60kg of cannabis to the United Kingdom
by George RamsayCNN
Football player Jay Emmanuel-Thomas admitted to orchestrated the 60-pound cannabis trafficking in the amount of about 710,000 euros, according to the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA).
Emmanuel-Thomas, who has played for Arsenal and Premier League’s Ipswich Town, recruited two women to collect cannabis in Thailand and transport it back to the United Kingdom, NCA reported in a statement.
NCA added that the process at Chelmsford Crown Court was postponed on Wednesday with a sentence date to be confirmed. The maximum penalty for cannabis imports into the United Kingdom is 14 years in prison, according to NCA.
“Thomas is believed to be the intermediary between suppliers in Thailand and drug traffickers in the UK,” says NCA in a press release.
The two women were initially accused of smuggling cannabis. However, according to NCA, both believed they were carrying gold in two bags and were acquitted without proof against them. They were arrested after they arrived from bangedo.
CNN has contacted Emmanuel-Thomas for more information, but so far without success.
The 34 -year -old striker played at Scotland Greenock Morton as he was arrested in September last year. The club terminated its contract with immediate effects.
“Organized crime groups make significant profits from trafficking and sale of high quality cannabis, legally cultivated in the US, Canada and Thailand, and illegally in the United Kingdom,” said David Philips, NCA’s lead investigator in a statement.
“Organized criminals like Thomas can be very persuasive and offer payment to those who make the transportation. But the risk of being caught is very high and simply not worth it,” he added.
Emmanuel-Thomas had signed a six-month contract with Greenock Morton in July. He passed the Arsenal Academy as a youthful player and previously played in several British clubs, including Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City.
