German Authorities Return 20,000 Cannabis Seeds to Dutch Passion

In early August 2025, a Dutch Passion courier was on the road to Düsseldorf with a shipment of 20,000 cannabis seeds. The seeds were intended for the German market under the new law, specifically for small home growers who are legally allowed to cultivate up to three plants per person. Since the legalisation of home growing in April 2024, demand for seeds in Germany has been stronger than ever. But on this day, events took an unexpected turn. German customs officers stopped the courier without warning and seized the entire shipment.

For Dutch Passion, it felt like a step back in time. For decades cannabis seeds were treated with suspicion, often confiscated or destroyed. We had hoped that this era was behind us, yet the incident in Kaldenkirchen showed that some old habits remain.

A swift legal decision

Dutch Passion challenged the seizure. On 10 September, the Krefeld Public Prosecutor ruled that the seeds must be returned. Five days later, the Hauptzollamt Krefeld confirmed the decision. In September, our team collected the boxes in person. What could have been dismissed as a routine return instead became a symbolic moment: confirmation that the law now protects what is right.

The Cannabis Act and what it means for German growers

For Dutch Passion, this old-fashioned bust was a reminder of times we thought were long gone. There was a period when anyone connected to cannabis was treated with suspicion by default. Shipments of seeds were frequently confiscated or destroyed, and even simple mail orders could be intercepted.

Consumers who only wanted to grow a few plants at home were left anxious and uncertain. Many German growers had to live with the risk that their legal seeds might never arrive.

That changed with Germany’s Cannabis Act (Cannabisgesetz, KCanG). Since April 2024, adults are allowed to buy cannabis seeds from other EU member states and have them delivered for private cultivation, with a maximum of three plants per person. It was a historic step forward not only for Germany but also for Europe. By recognising home growing, Germany set a precedent and increased the pressure on other EU countries to rethink criminalising their own citizens for cannabis use.

The 20,000 seeds seized in August were precisely intended for this legal purpose: to provide German consumers with access to genetics for their permitted small-scale home cultivation.

More than seeds: a matter of principle

This case was about more than one shipment. It highlights a broader shift: cannabis seeds in Germany are no longer contraband but recognised as part of a legal framework for private cultivation. The decision reduces the likelihood of similar seizures in the future and provides consumers with greater legal certainty.

For the authorities too, the change is significant. Resources that were once tied up in pursuing harmless seed shipments can now be directed where they are truly needed.

A symbol of wider change

For Dutch Passion, collecting these boxes in Krefeld was a reminder of how far things have come. Not long ago, official letters demanded that we stop sending seeds altogether. Today, those same institutions are handing them back with an official stamp of approval.

Germany is one of the first major European economies to allow home growing. This decision is a milestone, not only for German consumers but for the wider European debate. Prohibition comes with real social and financial costs. Reform, as seen in Germany, brings clarity, fairness and opportunity.

The return of the seeds

To some, the scene in Krefeld may have looked like nothing more than boxes being collected at a customs office. For us, it meant something far greater: justice being upheld and the rights of consumers being recognised.

The team left with smiles all round. The message was clear: under the new law, cannabis seeds belong to the people, and the future of home growing in Germany is secure.

Justice has prevailed.