An American basketball player is facing life in prison, and potentially the death penalty, after being arrested in Indonesia for possessing cannabis gummies worth just $400.
Jarred Shaw, a 35-year-old former Utah State Aggies player from Dallas, Texas, was detained by undercover officers five months ago in Tangerang, a city on the outskirts of Jakarta.
Police claim he collected a package containing 132 cannabis-infused gummies illegally imported from Thailand.
The 6ft 11in power forward, who has played professionally across several continents, including Argentina, Tunisia, Thailand and Venezuela, had most recently been representing the Tangerang Hawks in Indonesia’s Basketball League.
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Following his arrest, the club terminated his contract and the league issued a lifetime ban.
Indonesia is known for having some of the world’s harshest drug laws, and Shaw’s case has drawn global attention.
More than 500 people are currently on death row in the country, the majority for drug-related offences. Executions, usually by firing squad, were last carried out in 2016.
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Jarred Shaw has insisted he uses cannabis for medicinal purposes
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Shaw, speaking to The Guardian from his prison cell, insisted the cannabis was for medicinal use.
“I use cannabis as a medicine,” he said.
“I have an inflammatory condition called Crohn’s disease that’s incurable.
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Jarred Shaw pictured during his basketball career
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“There’s no medicine apart from cannabis that stops my stomach from aching. I don’t use it to have fun or go party.
“With my stomach condition, sometimes it’s hard for me to keep food down or go to the toilet.
“It just soothes the pain a little bit. There’s people telling me I’m about to spend the rest of my life in prison over some edibles. I’ve never been through anything like this.”
He admitted the decision to import the gummies was a “stupid mistake” and said he has been left feeling “helpless and alone” while sharing a crowded cell with as many as 12 other inmates.
Authorities are continuing to investigate what they believe is an international drug network linked to Shaw’s package.
Soekarno-Hatta Airport police chief Ronald Sipayung said: “We are still running the investigation to uncover the international drugs network behind this case and to stop its distribution.”
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If found guilty, Shaw could face life imprisonment or execution under Indonesia’s strict narcotics laws.
His case has sparked outrage among campaigners who argue that the punishment is grossly disproportionate.
Stephanie Shepard, director of advocacy at the Last Prisoner Project (LPP), which campaigns for the release of individuals imprisoned for cannabis offences, has called for international intervention.
“Jarred’s case is not an isolated incident,” she said.
“Around the world, people are serving extreme sentences for non-violent cannabis offences that pose no threat to public safety. These punishments run counter to international human rights standards.”
Shaw’s arrest has reignited the debate over cannabis regulation and sentencing disparities across the world. In much of the United States, cannabis is now legal for medical use, and in some states for recreational purposes, but Indonesia maintains a zero-tolerance policy where even minor possession can carry severe consequences.
The former NBA development league player now awaits trial, facing a future that could depend on the outcome of Indonesia’s notoriously unforgiving legal system.