Jamie Pink appeared in court on Thursday on cannabis charges. He and his Tribal Huks gang are known for delivering sandwiches to hungry schoolchildren.

A "silly puff" at the end of a long day has landed sandwich hero Jamie Pink before the courts for the first time in five years.

The 44-year-old appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Thursday charged with one count of possession of cannabis.

Pink has achieved fame in recent times through the charitable activities of the Tribal Huks gang, of which he is president. Popularly known as the Sandwich Gang, the Ngaruawahia-based organisation has made a name for itself making lunches, which are then distributed to schools for the hungry children of impoverished families.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/FAIRFAX NZ Tribal Huks up the number of schools they serve, now making over 900 sammies to serve over 50 schools in the Waikato.

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The court heard that on December 2, police went to Pink's house in Hamilton East while making inquiries on an unrelated matter. Pink, whose occupation is listed as "farmer" on court documents, answered the door and the attending police officers detected the smell of marijuana coming from inside the house.

Advising Pink they could smell cannabis, the two officers conducted a search of the house under the auspices of the Search and Surveillance Act. A cannabis tinnie was found on the coffee table in the lounge and Pink quickly handed over three cannabis buds.

The officers found more cannabis and a bong in a bedroom.

By way of explanation, Pink told them that he used cannabis to relax in the evening.

His counsel, Louis Wilkins, told the court Pink had not appeared before the courts for five years, and in that time had made some significant and very positive changes in his life and the lives of those around him.

He asked the court to note that his client had been co-operative and polite and had done all he could to assist the police. Wilkins asked for Pink to be convicted with the condition that he come up before the courts if called upon.

"We have not seen you in here for ages," remarked community magistrate Kathryn Wilson, "and that's a good thing. But I have seen you a lot on the TV - and that's also a good thing."

Wilson imposed a fine of $300 with $130 court costs and ordered the destruction of the cannabis and bong.

Speaking after his court appearance, Pink was rueful.

"It was just a puff at the end of a long day. It was a silly thing to do.

"I'm going to go and pay my fine right now, like a good citizen."

On Wednesday, Pink was named as one of 16 recipients of the Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year awards, in recognition of his work feeding underpriviledged children.

Over the past four years, the Tribal Huks have steadily increased the number of sandwiches supplied to schools.

The gang members now make 925 sandwiches a day, an increase of 525 since August, for 50 schools in Hamilton, Ngaruawahia, Taupiri, Horotiu, Huntly and Rangiriri.

Pink and the gang have also established a charity called the Kai 4 the Future Foundation, which they kick-started with $20,000. The foundation was set up in August to collect money to purchase food for hungry children across the country.

For transparency and legitimacy, Pink brought community leaders on board to be signatories to the foundation's accounts.

The Tribal Huks will hold its annual community Christmas party in Ngaruawahia on Friday.