Drugs, drug manufacturing equipment, firearms and stolen property were found in homes and storage units in police raids across Rotorua yesterday.
Police said the busts started at 7am and continued into the evening.
The total number of arrests had not been collated as the Rotorua Daily Post went to print.
Detective Senior Sergeant Lindsay Pilbrow of Bay of Plenty police said as of 4.30pm 18 search warrants had been executed at residential addresses and storage units.
"These were in connection with the sale and supply of methamphetamine, firearms and stolen property," Mr Pilbrow said.
"A number of people have been arrested and will be facing various charges in relation to drug dealing, manufacture and firearms.
"We're committed to the community, in relation to those involved in the sale and distribution of drugs.
"It might sound cliched but it clearly causes a lot of harm. We're committed to getting it away from our young people."
He said 50 staff from across the Bay of Plenty police district were involved in the raids. Some of the addresses searched were associated with gangs.
Search warrants were executed in Western Heights, Fordlands and Mangakakahi.
The police dog section and armed offenders squad were present at some of the searches but all arrests were made without incident, Mr Pilbrow said.
Some of the haul included methamphetamine and equipment used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
The raids followed the discovery of a suspected clandestine meth lab on Wednesday in Clayton Rd. Police were still examining the house yesterday.
Those arrested and charged would appear in the Rotorua District Court.
"I'm sure the community would be supportive of what we're doing and understand why we're doing it," Mr Pilbrow said.