Police iwi liaison officers, who had been in Maketu today, would remain to help ensure those affected by the arrests had any support they needed.
The 12 people are all to appear in Tauranga Youth Court later today.
Those arrested included four men from Rotorua aged 23, 25, 29, and 54.
The seven men arrested from Maketu were aged 37, 38 and 63, two were aged 22, and two were aged 40.
A male youth was arrested in Whanganui and will appear in the Tauranga Youth Court via audio-visual link.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.