Four in court over cannabis vending machine

File photo / NZ Herald

Four people from a "cannabis club" in West Auckland appeared in court after a police raid.

Julian Crawford, 28, Gizella van Trigt, 46, Stefan Bower, 20 and Sean Davidson-Norris, 20 appeared in Waitakere District Court today over the seizure of cannabis, cash, drug paraphernalia and a vending machine at the club.

Police raided the Daktory - a so-called cannabis club in a New Lynn warehouse - on March 23 after members of the club posted online that they were selling cannabis from a vending machine.

Outside court, Crawford said members of the Daktory decided to install the vending machine so that no one would be charged with dealing the drug.

Police allegedly found $27,000 in a backpack, and 200g of cannabis in the freezer

About 30 pro-cannabis activists were outside Waitakere District Court today to support the accused and to promote legalising cannabis.

The four are charged with possession of cannabis, possession for supply, and van Trigt faced an additional charge of possession of a cannabinoid for supply.

Crawford said police visited the Daktory on March 16 to warn them they would be keeping close watch on the premises.

He said police had become aware of the of the vending machine at the premises through an online post by those living in the Daktory.

The four would appear in court again in two weeks and intended to plead not guilty to the charges.