Jarred Shaw, a professional basketball player who plays overseas for the Tangerang Hawks, is being detained in Indonesia for having THC cannabis edibles.

According to Fox 4, the Dallas native, who’s 34, has played in the Indonesian Basketball League since 2022 and signed with the Hawks in 2024. The Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police arrested him after local officials ransacked his apartment in Tangerang Regency, Indonesia. After searching the residence on May 7, they found over 130 marijuana-laced candies with a combined total of 869 grams (30.6 ounces) of illicit cannabis.

Jarred Shaw faces a life sentence and even the death penalty

In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, the airport’s police chief, Ronald Sipayung, said that airport customs officials noticed a suspicious item from Thailand allegedly ordered by Shaw, which prompted them to report it to her team. While in police custody, Shaw reportedly shared that the candy wasn’t just for him but also for his teammates.

Per Fox News, there have been other cases regarding cannabis that led to drug traffickers being found guilty. Their punishment? Death by firing squad, a method of capital punishment. Although Thailand decriminalized cannabis in November 2024, Indonesia maintains some of the world’s harshest drug laws. Under current regulations, Shaw faces the possibility of life imprisonment or even the death penalty if convicted. Government data from the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections shows that approximately 530 individuals are currently on death row in Indonesia, most for drug-related offenses, including 96 foreign nationals.

Jarred Shaw’s basketball career comes to a sudden halt

The Tangerang Hawks manager spoke out, sharing that the basketball franchise has cut ties with Shaw due to his violation of their agreement. Additionally, league chair Budisatrio Djiwandono confirmed the decision was made to permanently bar the athlete from playing in the Indonesian Basketball League.

“We don’t tolerate players, administrators or anyone in the field involved in drugs,” Djiwandono told the Associated Press. “There is no room for drug users in the basketball world.”

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