MASERU – The United States Embassy has warned that Lesotho is vulnerable to transnational organised crime, citing the country’s recent record-breaking methamphetamine manufacturing bust as evidence that international criminal networks are extending operations into the Kingdom.
The Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Ms Monica Schneider said Southern Africa has experienced a rise in organised crime, particularly methamphetamine trafficking involving Mexican drug cartels and precursor chemicals originating from China.
She said that recent law enforcement operations had led to significant drug seizures and the arrest of Mexican and Chinese nationals in South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana, demonstrating the growing reach of international criminal syndicates across the region.
Ms Schneider said Lesotho’s recent methamphetamine manufacturing bust indicated that the country is no longer beyond the reach of these criminal networks.
“Lesotho is not immune to transnational organised crime,” she said. “Criminal organisations often exploit porous borders and weak points in regional security to establish new trafficking routes and operations.”
Despite these challenges, Ms Schneider said Lesotho’s close-knit communities present an opportunity to strengthen crime prevention through community policing.
She said community policing encourages collaboration between police, residents, businesses and community leaders to identify security concerns before they escalate.
“The relationship between police and citizens is one of our greatest assets in preventing organised crime,” she said. “Communities are often the first to notice suspicious activities and can provide vital information when they trust law enforcement.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr. Mahlape Morai said that the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is committed to strengthening public trust as part of efforts to improve policing.
She maintained that the police service recognises that effective policing depends not only on resources and training but also on the confidence and cooperation of communities.
Dr. Morai mentioned that the LMPS is shifting from reactive policing to a more community-centred approach built on professionalism, accountability and public service.
Quoting British policing pioneer Sir Robert Peel, she said, “The police are the public and the public are the police,” stressing that law enforcement cannot effectively combat crime without the active participation of citizens.
She added that rebuilding trust between police and communities would strengthen efforts to combat organised criminal networks and improve public safety.
The U.S. Embassy and LMPS said closer cooperation between communities and law enforcement will be critical in protecting Lesotho from increasingly sophisticated organised crime and other security threats.
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