A PROFESSIONAL footballer has admitted that he was involved in a drug smuggling plot worth £600,000.
The celebrity was arrested at his home on September 18, after 60kg of cannabis was found in suitcases linked to him two weeks earlier.
Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, 34, was found to have brought 60kg of cannabis into the UK from Thailand.
According to Met police, the drugs had travelled via Dubai before arriving at Stansted Airport on September 2.
Cops now believe that the celebrity might have been the intermediary between drug pushers in the UK and suppliers in Thailand.
Now, he will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex at a later date.
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He pleaded guilty to the offence earlier in May, but reporting restrictions on the case have only just been lifted.
Initially, the footballer known as “JET” denied the charges when appearing in court in October 2024.
Two other people were arrested in connection with the case, but an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) have led to the charges being dropped.
The two women were arrested with the drugs from Thailand on September 2, after making the journey for Emmanuel Thomas – in exchange for £2,500.
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However, the Crown had offered no evidence against the two women, allowing them to go free.
Rosie Rowland, 28, and Yasmin Piotrowska, 33, were said to have sobbed as they were allowed to leave the dock.
They had previously denied importing cannabis between July 1 and September 2.
According to Prosecutor David Josse KC, the two women thought they were “importing gold, not cannabis”.
As he was taken into custody, Emmanuel-Thomas said: “I just feel sorry for the girls.”
NCA senior investigating officer, David Philips, revealed how criminal groups try to profit from drugs.
He said: “Organised crime groups make significant profits by trafficking and selling perceived high-quality cannabis legally grown in the US, Canada and Thailand illegally in the UK.
“Organised criminals like Thomas can be very persuasive and offer payment to couriers. But the risk of getting caught is very high and it simply isn’t worth it.”
In Britain, the maximum sentence for smuggling cannabis – a class B drug – is a 14-year-stretch behind bars.
Emmanuel-Thomas was a fan-favourite footballer who had played for Arsenal, Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers, MK Dons and PTT Rayong.
He was axed from his most recent team, Greenock Morton, after appearing in court for the crime.
A spokesperson for Greenock Morton released a short statement on social media after the sacking.
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The statement read: “Greenock Morton FC can confirm that the contract of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been terminated with immediate effect.
“The club will be making no further comment on the matter.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
