Police raided eight homes at Unanderra, Warrawong, Warilla, Corrimal, Port Kembla and Cringila about 8.30am on Wednesday.

Seven kilograms of MDMA, ice, cannabis, cocaine and heroin were seized during the searches.

The raids were carried out as part of Strike Force Worra, set up by Wollongong and Lake Illawarra police in October to target illicit drug supply.

The 12 people – eight men and four women – have been taken to Wollongong and Lake Illawarra police stations, where they are being spoken to by police.

Investigations by Strike Force Worra are continuing and Lake Illawarra Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan has indicated the number of people arrested would climb as high as 70.

11.40am: Ten people have been arrested and another ten will be arrested on Wednesday after multiple drug raids across the Illawarra.

Another 50 people are expected to be arrested in the coming weeks, Lake Illawarra Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan said.

Eight homes across the region were simultaneously raided with seven kilograms of MDMA, ice, cannabis, cocaine and heroin seized by police.

“Having these people in our custody and going before the court is a fantastic result for the men and women who have done an enormous job investigating these matters [as well as for] the community,” Superintendent Dzevlan said.

He said the arrests and drug seizures would make a significant dent in the drug distribution trade throughout the Illawarra and the South Coast.

“If you have bought drugs, if you have supplied drugs, if you have distributed drugs, if you have manufactured or cultivated any drugs our police probably already know that you’ve done it...and we will be coming to arrest you.”

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