Basketball Player Jarred Shaw Arrested Indonesia Faces Possible Death Penalty

Jarred Shaw, a former U.S. college basketball player from Dallas who competed at Oklahoma State and Utah State, was arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis-infused candies into the country. Police raided his apartment in Tangerang Regency after a tip from airport customs about a suspicious package from Thailand containing 132 cannabis candies weighing about 30.6 ounces. Shaw reportedly admitted during questioning that he intended to share the cannabis candy with his basketball teammates. Indonesia enforces some of the world's strictest drug laws, with penalties for drug smuggling ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty, and currently has over 500 people on death row for drug offenses. Following his arrest, Shaw was fired by the Tangerang Hawks and received a lifetime ban from the Indonesian Basketball League, which has taken a strong stance against involvement with drugs in basketball. The case highlights Indonesia’s harsh drug enforcement amid its vulnerability to drug trafficking despite strict regulations.