Former Arsenal striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 33, has been charged and refused bail for importing drugs. It comes after £600,000 of cannabis were allegedly seized at Stansted Airport. Two women, aged 28 and 32 were also arrested at Stansted Airport, according to the NCA. They were also charged with drug importation offences. Both were issued bail after appearing before Chelmsford Magistrates Court and are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on October 1.

Emmanuel-Thomas now plays for Greenock Morton in Scotland and joined the club earlier this summer on a free transfer. He was arrested at 8am on Wednesday after UK Border Force officials found the substance inside several suitcases which had arrived in the United Kingdom on a flight from Bangkok on September 2. No plea was entered to the charge when it was read to him by the court legal advisor on the instruction of his lawyer.

Senior Investigating Officer for the NCA, David Phillips, said: "The NCA continues to work with partners like Border Force to target those involved in drug smuggling – that includes both the couriers and the organisers. We would appeal to anyone who is approached to engage in any kind of smuggling to think very carefully about the likely consequences of their actions, and the potentially life-changing risks they will be taking."

Emmanuel-Thomas joined Arsenal's youth academy when he was eight years old. He made his Premier League debut for the club in 2010. A month later he would make his Champions League appearance, before leaving Arsenal to join Ipswich for £1.1million in 2011.