Rotorua Detective Senior Sergeant Zane Smith said cannabis was no more of an issue in Rotorua than any other part of New Zealand.
"Drugs generally remain a significant issue and focus for us," he said. "It is seen as a lucrative trade for organised criminal gangs, so we predominantly target the suppliers, manufacturers and cultivators to disrupt and dismantle the networks.
"We routinely find cannabis during search warrants, even when the search warrants relate to other drugs or offending."
The connection between drugs and other offending was clear, he said.
"Both cannabis and alcohol continue to be drivers of crime across the country.
"Property crime is often committed to feed addictions and both drug and alcohol abuse is a factor in a significant number of violent offences and disorder."
The public played a vital part in removing illicit drugs from the community, he said.
"Many of the operations we carry out in relation to illicit drugs is the direct result of information from our communities, and we encourage anyone with information about drug supply, manufacture or cultivation to contact us.
"The Crimestoppers organisation on 0800 555111 provides a means to pass information on anonymously for those who for whatever reason, don't feel able to talk to us directly."
Nationally, district courts convicted more than 25,000 people for marijuana-related offences over the past five financial years with the total number of convictions decreasing each year from 7329 in 2010 to 3480 last financial year.
A national police spokesperson said the drop in cannabis-related offences correlated to a reduction in over-all recorded crime.
It was too early to assess what effect the ban on synthetic highs had.
New Zealand Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell believed greater use of pre-charge warnings by police was the main reason for the decline.
