Barely hours after opening for business, a new shop selling cookies and oils containing cannabis was raided by police at Sedgefield on the Garden Route at the weekend.

Police attached to the Outeniqua K-9 unit "acted on information they received and clamped down on the illegal dealing in cannabis when they closed down a shop within two hours after it opened for business for the first time", said police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie.   

"The merchandise included cannabis oils, sweets, cookies/rusks ... wedding cake ... and gorilla cookies, all of these containing cannabis."

A 31-year-old man, believed to be the owner of the shop, was arrested for allegedly dealing in drugs.

Following the arrest, goods to the value of about R80,000 were confiscated.

"Efforts to eradicate the illegal distribution of drugs, which are believed to be major crime contributors, remains a priority for the Western Cape police, despite recent changes to legislation that has legalised the private cultivation and consumption of dagga," said Pojie.  

"However, the selling or dealing in prohibited drugs remains an offence that needs to be policed."

The arrested man is scheduled to appear in the Knysna Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court ruled in 2018 that the private cultivation, possession and consumption of cannabis was legal.