Two "well-known members in the community" have been taken into custody following an investigation into the "rife" supply and use of cocaine in the Wollongong area with police warning more arrests of the syndicate's associates are likely to be made.
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Two men, aged 51 and 47, were arrested at businesses in Wollongong and Fairy Meadow where they worked on Tuesday morning after an investigation by Wollongong drug unit detectives was launched in November last year.
Shortly after 9am, officers went to the Market Street business where they found and seized cocaine and MDMA.
A short time later, a search warrant was executed at the home of the 51-year-old man in Balgownie, where investigators located and seized cocaine, an unregistered firearm, ammunition and a poker machine.
The second man was arrested at his Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow business around 10.30am.
Police were tipped off to an alleged drug syndicate operating in the area from members of the public.
Wollongong Police crime manager, Detective Chief Inspector Brad Ainsworth, said the syndicate was allegedly a "group of associates who supplied drugs between themselves and to other people in the Wollongong area".
Police will allege "dozens" of sales were made and the group used electronic means to communicate.
"Our investigation has shown that the use of cocaine around here is pretty rife and there are a lot of people involved in it," Det Insp Ainsworth said.
"Some of them may think that using cocaine is okay. It is not."
He said the investigation centered on the alleged supply of cocaine and other illegal drugs between friends and associates rather than the quantity of drugs sold..
"The investigation is not over," Det Insp Ainsworth said.
"More people will be approached and arrested, especially the [alleged] associates of the men in custody.
"If they want to get on the front foot and come and see us before we see them that would be good because I can assure them we will be knocking on their doors soon."
Det Insp Ainsworth said the arrests probably had not put a large dint in the supply of cocaine in the area "but it was a start".
He said the men were allegedly "getting their drugs from somewhere" and police would continue to investigate whether the alleged drug syndicate was linked to a larger crime organisation.
The 51-year-old man was charged with six counts of supply prohibited drug.
The 47-year-old man was charged with 11 counts of supply prohibited drug, two counts of knowingly take part in supply prohibited drug and fraud.
A 40-year-old man also attended Wollongong Police Station, where he was issued with a Future Court Attendance Notice relating to an alleged fraudulent transaction that occurred at the business of the 47-year-old man.
Police will allege the 47-year-old man falsified invoices for work not undertaken, while the 40-year-old man made fraudulent claims to an insurance company.
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