Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is yet to formally respond to a High Court lawsuit by a Leribe-based cannabis company requesting the release of a cannabis consignment the police seized earlier this year.
Lesotho media on 30 July 2026 reported that Banel (Pty) Ltd had now filed an urgent application against Lesotho’s law enforcement top brass in an effort to get the confiscated cannabis released, citing among others the deterioration of the product while in police custody.
Banel Managing Director Kananelo Ntabejane (pictured) approached the Lesotho High Court a few days ago to seek the return of a 500kg cannabis consignment valued at 1.2 million Maloti (1 LM = 1 ZAR) that the company imported from Thailand in February, arguing it was lawfully procured. The respondents include Police Commissioner Borotho Matsoso and Attorney General Rapelang Motsieloa.
The shipment contains various cannabis strains including OG Kush, Cookie Gelato, Sugar Bomb Punch, Meringue, Flash Mob, Northern Lights and 5280, imported as dried flower for pharmaceutical processing at Banel’s licensed facility at Leribe, according to a Lesotho Times report.
The report further notes Banel obtained an import permit on 27 February 2026 authorising it to import the cannabis. However, when the goods landed at Moshoeshoe I International Airport inMaseru, police seized the consignment, despite Banel’s clearing agents paying all the required custom duties and taxes before collection.
Ntabejane alleges in court papers there’s no lawful justification for police to hold the drugs at police headquarters.
In his affidavit, Ntabejane says he was shocked when the Revenue Service of Lesotho informed him the police had seized the cannabis. He also states police had assured him they would retain it only temporarily. However, days turned into weeks and then months with the police refusing to release the consignment.
The initial police explanation was that they wanted to tally the contents of the consignment. However, when police finally summoned him for a joint inspection, Ntabejane alleges he was surprised to find they had already opened the shipment in his absence.
The police also requested all the documentation to prove legality and Ntabejane says he duly complied before being asked to leave. His request for the drugs to be released during a follow-up visit to the police in June was turned down.
He also argues medicinal cannabis is sensitive and the prolonged detention will accelerate its deterioration and expose his company to substantial financial loss.
Ntabejane says that Banel is registered and licensed to manufacture, extract, process, store, distribute, import and export pharmaceutical, medicinal and botanical products. The company is therefore the consignment’s lawful owner and is legally entitled to possess it, he claims.
Cannabis firm sues police over M1.2 million seized consignment
