A large police presence is being reported in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Several readers have contacted SunLive to say they have seen several police vehicles on State Highway 2, between Whakamarama and Katikati.

One reader said she received a phone call from her husband saying he had seen officers hiding in the bush.

Another person said they had just driven from Katikati to Whakamarama and passed 12 officers, some with car lights on and some with road spike strips out.

“Sounds like something big could be going down.”

A police spokesperson said officers were conducting routine enquiries to locate “person of interest”.