Jarred Shaw, a 34-year-old American basketball player competing in the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), has been arrested on serious drug charges after authorities discovered 132 pieces of cannabis-infused candy at his apartment near Jakarta.
The arrest followed a tip from Soekarno-Hatta Airport customs, who flagged a suspicious package shipped from Thailand. While cannabis is decriminalized in Thailand, it remains strictly illegal in Indonesia, which enforces some of the world’s harshest drug laws—including the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty for smuggling.
Shaw, who signed with the Tangerang Hawks in 2023 and has been playing in the IBL since 2022, allegedly told police he intended to share the candy with teammates. He was paraded before the media in an orange prison uniform and mask with his hands tied.
Indonesian authorities say they are continuing to investigate Shaw’s case as part of a broader probe into an international drug trafficking network.
Tangerang Hawks quickly terminated Shaw’s contract for breaching team policy. “We don’t tolerate players or anyone in the sport involved with drugs,” said Indonesian Basketball League Chair Budisatrio Djiwandono, who confirmed Shaw is banned from the league.
Indonesia currently holds over 500 people on death row, the majority of whom are imprisoned for drug-related offenses, including nearly 100 foreigners. The last executions took place in 2016.
Shaw, a former Utah State Aggies standout, now faces a dire legal battle with potentially life-altering consequences.
