A professional basketball player from the United States is facing severe legal consequences after being apprehended with cannabis gummies valued at $400. Jarred Shaw, a 35-year-old athlete hailing from Dallas, Texas, was detained by undercover law enforcement officers in Indonesia five months ago.
Shaw, who previously played college basketball for Utah State Aggies and later joined the Santa Cruz Warriors in the 2015 NBA development league draft, has had a diverse career playing in various countries like Tunisia, Argentina, Thailand, Uruguay, and Venezuela before landing in Indonesia in 2022 to compete for Prawira Bandung. The 6ft 11″ power forward later moved to Satria Muda Peramina and then to Tangerang Hawks in 2024.
In May, Shaw was arrested by ten undercover officers who intercepted a shipment of 132 cannabis gummies illegally imported from Thailand, which he was collecting from an apartment complex in Tangerang Regency. Following his arrest, Shaw was terminated from Tangerang Hawks and received a lifetime ban from the Indonesian Basketball League, exacerbating his already precarious situation.
Indonesia’s stringent stance on illicit drugs is widely recognized, with over 500 individuals on death row, predominantly for drug-related offenses. Shaw has contended that he used the cannabis gummies for medical purposes due to his Crohn’s disease, a debilitating inflammatory condition. Despite his explanation, Shaw acknowledged his error, expressing feelings of helplessness and isolation while awaiting his court appearance.
Stephanie Shepard, the director of advocacy at Last Prisoner Project (LPP), has been advocating for Shaw’s release, highlighting the disproportionate penalties imposed on individuals worldwide for non-violent cannabis-related infractions that do not endanger public safety. The investigation into Shaw’s case continues, with the possibility of him facing a life sentence or even the death penalty if found guilty, as confirmed by Ronald Sipayung, the Soekarno-Hatta Airport police chief.
