British footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been charged in connection with attempting to smuggle £600,000 ($800,000) worth of cannabis through a British airport.
Emmanuel-Thomas, who began his career at Arsenal but now plays for second-tier side Greenock Morton, was arrested at his home near Glasgow early on Wednesday, the Press Association (PA) reported.
The 33-year-old striker was arrested by police and taken to the northern English city of Carlisle for questioning, the National Crime Agency said.
He began his career at Arsenal, where he made five appearances, including one in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk in November 2010.
He later played for English clubs Ipswich, Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers, Aberdeen in Scotland and in Thailand for PTT Rayong.
The drug smuggling case came after customs officers detected about 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of cannabis in two suitcases at Stansted Airport near London, which arrived on a flight from Bangkok on September 2. Two women were arrested.
Emmanuel-Thomas is expected to appear in court in Carlisle on Thursday, charged with importing class B drugs, PA reported.
In August, the National Crime Agency warned travellers from Thailand, Canada and the US that they could face jail time if they tried to bring cannabis into the UK. The maximum sentence for drug traffickers is 14 years.
