An American basketball player, Jarred Dwayne Shaw, was arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs. The 34-year-old from Dallas was detained on May 7 after police raided his apartment in Tangerang regency, near Jakarta, discovering 132 pieces of cannabis candies. This arrest stemmed from a tip-off from airport customs regarding a suspicious package Shaw had received from Thailand, where cannabis was decriminalized in 2022.
Shaw faces severe penalties under Indonesia’s stringent drug laws, including life imprisonment or the death penalty. Police chief Ronald Sipayung noted that Shaw claimed he intended to share the candies with fellow players. The cannabis candies weighed a total of 869 grams (30.6 ounces). A video circulating online showed Shaw resisting arrest, calling for help as authorities intervened.
Shaw joined the Tangerang Hawk basketball team last year and has played in the Indonesian Basketball League since 2022. Following his arrest, the club terminated his contract due to his breach of rules, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy toward drug use. The league has also banned him for life, with its chair, Budisatrio Djiwandono, asserting that there is no place for drug involvement in basketball.
Indonesia, despite its harsh drug laws, remains a significant transit point for drug smuggling targeted by international syndicates, particularly impacting its youth. Currently, approximately 530 inmates are on death row for drug-related offenses in Indonesia, which last executed individuals for these crimes in July 2016. Authorities are continuing to investigate the broader international drug network linked to Shaw’s case.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
