US Basketball Player Faces Death Penalty in Indonesia
Unfortunately, there are still countries in the world where cannabis might be a huge problem. Where possession of it is a very high risk, and in the worst case can be punished with the death penalty. The recent arrest of American basketball player Jarred Shaw in Indonesia is an unpleasant reminder of this ‘other reality’ that many of us may have forgotten about after legalization.
Indonesian Police Found Hundred of Edibles in Jarred Shaw’s Possession
Former top-100 recruit Jarred Shaw was arrested in Indonesia on May 7 after Indonesian police discovered 132 cannabis edibiles in his apartments. It was suspected that Shaw was smuggling drugs after a package addressed to him arrived from Thailand and got noticed at the airport, according to the authorities.
The edibles reportedly contained a total gross weight of 869 grams of illegal compounds. Police chief Ronald Sipayung said Shaw told during the interrogation that he wanted to share the cannabis candies with his teammates. “We are still running the investigation to uncover the international drugs network behind this case and to stop its distribution,” Sipayung said.
“We don’t tolerate players, administrators or anyone in the field involved in drugs. There is no room for drug users in the basketball world,” Djiwandono said, CNN reported.
Because it is a more significant amount of cannabis caught, the offense would not be seen as minor, or for personal use. The authorities have already classified the case as drug trafficking or smuggling. If convicted, Shaw faces life imprisonment or, in the worst case - the death penalty. But hopefully it doesn’t come to that; the last death sentence for drug offenses in Indonesia was handed down nine years ago. What makes the situation precarious is that these laws are still active, however.
Shaw himself told the police the edibles were intended for him and his teammates. Subsequently, club manager Tikky Suwantikno told reporters that the team regretted Shaw’s actions and that he had been sacked immediately for breaching his contract. His contract with the Tangerang Hawk has been active since last year, 2024.
Some people might be surprised how this can even happen, but we’ve already been through Brittney Griner’s case, another basketball player who was arrested for possession of 0.7 grams of cannabis oil in Moscow in February 2022. Shaw has been playing basketball in Indonesia for several years now, and he may have been well aware of the restrictive laws in the South Asian country. Just like Griner may have needed to be more careful.
It is really bad and unfortunate that out there there are still countries with very strict, more than questionable cannabis laws. But they do exist. Therefore, if you are going to consume cannabis in any form, it makes sense to get informed about local laws before traveling or staying abroad.
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Stephen Andrews
