Former Arsenal soccer player Jay Emmanuel-Thomas arrested for alleged drug smuggling from Thailand

A soccer player who once appeared for Arsenal in Champions League has been charged in connection with trying to smuggle cannabis worth 600,000 pounds ($800,000) through a British airport.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, who currently plays for Scottish second-tier team Greeck Morton, was arrested at his home near Glasgow early Wednesday, Press Association ncy reported Thursday.

Emmanuel-Thomas was detained by police and taken to rrn English city of Carlisle to be questioned, National Crime ncy said .

33-year-old forward started his career with Arsenal, where he played five games including in Champions League at Shakhtar Donetsk in vember 2010.

He later played for English clubs Ipswich, Bristol City and Queens Park Rangers, Aberdeen in Scotland, and in Thailand for PTT Rayong.

drug-smuggling case followed customs officers detecting about 60 kilograms (130 pounds) of cannabis in two suitcases at Stansted airport near London that arrived on a flight from Bangkok on Sept. 2. Two women were arrested.

Emmanuel-Thomas is expected to appear in court Thursday in Carlisle accused of importing class B drugs, PA reported.

In August, National Crime ncy warned travelers arriving from Thailand, Canada and United States that y face jail sentences if caught attempting to bring cannabis into United Kingdom. maximum sentence for drug couriers is 14 years.