Police seized 3,900 kilograms of industrial hemp from a warehouse in Msasa, Harare, on March 9. They arrested three people during the raid at Ameyang Investments on Citroen Road. The national police spokesman, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said these people face charges of unlawful possession. Documents seen by ZimLive suggest the company actually had legal permission to grow this cannabis variant.
Papers show Ameyang Investments started as a company in 2019 and received legal approval to grow industrial hemp two years later. In May 2021, they brought seeds from Chicago with written permission from agriculture officials. Industrial hemp contains fiber, seeds, and oil used for making textiles, building materials, paper, fabrics, soap, food supplements, and cosmetics.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority gave the company yearly registration certificates through March 2023. Their latest permit clearly stated that Ameyang was registered as an industrial hemp cultivator. A company worker speaking anonymously said the seized plants came from their 2023 harvests. The company did not renew their permit after the 2023 expiration date.
The same worker described how police first came asking for bribes. When company staff refused to pay because they believed everything was legal, police returned with higher-ranking officers and camera crews. The company remains confident courts will review all evidence and find they acted legally throughout the entire process.
Papers show Ameyang Investments started as a company in 2019 and received legal approval to grow industrial hemp two years later. In May 2021, they brought seeds from Chicago with written permission from agriculture officials. Industrial hemp contains fiber, seeds, and oil used for making textiles, building materials, paper, fabrics, soap, food supplements, and cosmetics.
The Agricultural Marketing Authority gave the company yearly registration certificates through March 2023. Their latest permit clearly stated that Ameyang was registered as an industrial hemp cultivator. A company worker speaking anonymously said the seized plants came from their 2023 harvests. The company did not renew their permit after the 2023 expiration date.
The same worker described how police first came asking for bribes. When company staff refused to pay because they believed everything was legal, police returned with higher-ranking officers and camera crews. The company remains confident courts will review all evidence and find they acted legally throughout the entire process.
