American basketball player Jarred Shaw, 34, has now been permanently banned from the Indonesian Basketball League, in addition to facing the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty after being arrested for allegedly smuggling cannabis-infused candies into the country.
Shaw was taken into custody at his apartment in Cisauk, Tangerang Regency, after customs officials intercepted a suspicious shipment from Thailand. Authorities say the package contained 132 pieces of THC-laced candy, weighing nearly 870 grams. Shaw reportedly admitted to ordering the items and told police he planned to share them with other players.
According to police, Shaw claimed the cannabis products were meant for personal use and to help him relax after training, but officials believe he may have intended to distribute them more broadly among athletes. He allegedly saw it as a business opportunity and planned to test the market before making larger purchases.
The Tangerang Hawks, Shaw’s team in the Indonesian Basketball League, terminated his contract immediately following the arrest. Now, the league has also issued a lifetime ban, with its chairman reiterating the organization’s strict no-tolerance stance on drug use.
Shaw, originally from Dallas, played college basketball at Oklahoma State and Utah State before embarking on a professional career overseas.
Many in the U.S. have expressed outrage at the potential sentence Shaw faces, calling the potential of life in prison or a death sentence as entirely archaic and unfitting of the crime.
