Why was basketball player Shaw arrested in Indonesia?

Indonesian police arrested US professional basketball player Jarred Shaw for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country.

Acting on a tip-off, an Indonesian police team conducted a raid at Jarred Shaw’s apartment and seized 132 pieces of cannabis candy from the flat after a search, which came from Thailand, said police.

The 34-year-old basketball player in the Indonesian Basketball League played college basketball for the Utah State Aggies.

If Jarred is found guilty, he will be given potentially a life sentence or the death penalty under Indonesia’s drug laws.  A firing squad has been used to execute convicted smugglers in the past.

Jarred’s apartment was raided by authorities just outside the country’s capital of Jakarta, said Ronald Sipayung, police chief at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, adding that 132 pieces of cannabis candy were found in the apartment.

Police had information from airport customs that Jarred had taken a “suspicious airway package from Thailand that mentioned the cannabis illegally, while the goods are also illegal in Indonesia.

The police chief also said Jarred told police that the candy had been brought as he wanted to share the candy with his teammates.

Born on September 28, 1990, Jarred played for several Indonesian Basketball League teams as he signed a contract with the team last year.