POLICE IN NEW ZEALAND have seized a vending machine from a warehouse in Auckland, which they said was used to distribute cannabis to clubbers.

Four people were arrested and NZ$27,000 in cash, cannabis and drug paraphernalia was seized during the raid at The Daktory warehouse, which is run by pro-cannabis activists, according to NZ News.

Police said the raid followed allegations by members of the public that people were buying NZ$20 bags of cannabis from the machine.

Before the raid, activist Julian Crawford told the news agency: “(The machine is) a way for people who don’t want to have to associate with gangs or criminals to buy cannabis in a safe environment”.

While the unusual method for distributing cannabis was given light-hearted coverage in New Zealand’s media, detective inspector Bruce Scott said The Daktory was still breaking the law, reports AFP. “Wherever there is drug offending of any kind, police will act swiftly. We certainly do not take a softly-softly approach,” he said.