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American Could Face Firing Squad In Indonesia Over Weed Gummies
Here’s an important reminder of how laws differing across the world can potentially have very serious consequences (which you’d think would be obvious, but all too often it’s not).
Here’s an important reminder of how laws differing across the world can potentially have very serious consequences (which you’d think would be obvious, but all too often it’s not).
Indonesia raids American basketball player’s home
An American basketball player living in Indonesia is facing some serious consequences. 34-year-old Jarred Dwayne Shaw is originally from Dallas, but has played in the Indonesian Basketball League since 2022. For the past year, he has been playing with the Tangerang Hawks, and prior to that, he played with other clubs.
On May 7, 2025, he was arrested in his apartment just outside Jakarta, after a police raid. They seized 123 pieces of Delta 9 THC cannabis candies. So, how was he caught?
Customs officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) came across a package addressed to him, which arrived from Thailand, and was flagged for extra screening. They determined the contents, and decided to carry out a sting. So the package was sent to him, and they then raided his home. During an interrogation, Shaw reportedly told police that he intended to share the weed gummies with his teammates.
Cannabis has been decriminalized in Thailand since November 2024. Indonesia, meanwhile, has extremely strict drug laws. As a result, if found guilty, he potentially faces a life sentence or death by firing squad.
The club has announced that he has been fired due to breach of contract, and the Indonesian Basketball League has stated that he has been banned from the sport in the country for life. In a social media post, the team put up a photo with the words “Thank You,” and a caption reading “sometimes, the story ends differently than we planned.”
Interestingly, despite Indonesia’s strict laws, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that Indonesia is a major drug smuggling hub. The country has around 530 people on death row, with most being for drug-related crimes, including 96 foreigners. The country’s last executions were carried out in 2016, also over drug crimes. While another 10 people were scheduled to be executed, they were ultimately spared.
This is an important reminder for travelers
There’s a lot of ignorance out there about drugs, with many people just putting them all in the same category. Like, there’s a difference between marijuana and something like meth, heroin, or fentanyl. Personally I think it’s absurdly stupid that so many countries are fine with alcohol but not with marijuana, but I digress, as that’s besides the point.
Regardless of how silly we might thinks laws are, and regardless of how infractions would be punished back home, it’s important to understand and respect laws in foreign countries. That’s true for travelers, and it’s even more true for someone working abroad for an extended period of time.
I sure hope that this guy gets a reduced sentence, and doesn’t end up spending his life in jail, or even worse. Reading about this, the story of WNBA star Brittney Griner comes to mind. In 2022, she was taken into custody in Russia after cannabis oil vape cartridges were found in her luggage. She was sentenced to nine years in prison, though ended up being released after several months as part of a prisoner swap.
As an even less extreme example, I’m reminded of a 2021 situation, where an American was hospitalized in the UAE. A day after arriving in the country, he fell ill with pancreatitis, and prior to being discharged from the hospital, was asked to provide a urine sample. That revealed trace amounts of marijuana.
However, he hadn’t actually consumed it in the UAE, but rather, had some in Las Vegas (where it’s legal), prior to his trip. He ended up being arrested and thrown in jail, and was eventually released.
I’m not sure what the moral of the story there is, other than that international travel can be complicated, and we don’t enjoy the same protections abroad as at home.
Bottom line
An American basketball player in Indonesia is potentially facing some serious punishments, after receiving a shipment of weed gummies from Thailand. Indonesia has strict drug laws, and he could face execution by firing squad.
It’s a very important reminder that something that might be legal at home (or at worst not be life changing) could change the rest of your life abroad. Be careful out there! Obviously this guy had a major lapse in judgment, but I hope he doesn’t spend the rest of his life paying for this mistake.
