U.S. Basketball Player Arrested for Alleged Drug Smuggling in Indonesia Could Face Death Penalty

Published: Friday, May 16, 2025 at 3:15 pm

American Basketball Player Faces Death Penalty in Indonesia After Drug Smuggling Arrest

A U.S. basketball player, Jarred Dwayne Shaw, 34, is facing the possibility of the death penalty in Indonesia after being arrested for alleged drug smuggling. The former Utah State and Oklahoma State player was apprehended on May 7th at his apartment in Cisauk, Tangerang Regency. Police raided his residence following a tip about a package from Thailand, discovering 132 pieces of THC candies.

Shaw, who played in the Indonesian Basketball League since 2022, has been banned for life from the league and was officially charged with drug smuggling. Authorities presented him at a news conference on May 14th, where he was seen wearing an orange detainee t-shirt and did not speak. Reports indicate Shaw told police he ordered the candies for his teammates.

Indonesia has some of the world's strictest drug laws, and Shaw could face a life sentence or even execution. The country last carried out executions in July 2016, and currently has approximately 530 people on death row, most for drug-related offenses. The Indonesian Basketball League swiftly fired Shaw after his arrest, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards drugs. The candies were allegedly ordered from Thailand, where cannabis has been decriminalized since 2024.

Keywords: Jarred Dwayne Shaw, American basketball player, Indonesia, drug smuggling, THC candies, death penalty, Indonesian Basketball League, arrest, Tangerang Regency, Thailand, drug laws, execution, cannabis, drug charges, basketball, athlete, foreign citizen, Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police, Delta 9 THC, life sentence

Full Story