A police crackdown on WA’s outlaw motorcycle gangs resulted in 71 bikies being hauled before the courts last year over serious crimes including shootings, extortions, drug dealing and bashings.

Figures released to The Weekend West revealed 20 gang members were jailed in 2016. Another 51 were behind bars or on bail awaiting trial.

Eight of the 10 gangs operating in WA had someone caught in the police net. The State’s biggest gang, the Rebels, was the hardest hit with 39 of its 160-odd members among those accused of crimes.

WA Police State Crime Commander Pryce Scanlan said authorities were doing everything they could to shut the clubs down, accusing them of being criminal organisations.

“We don’t want them in WA, we don’t need them in WA and the sooner that we’re able to achieve that, the better for the community,” Cdr Scanlan said.

“The focus is to make sure no new gangs infiltrate WA and to close down the current ones.”

Cdr Scanlan said WA Police were investing significant resources to target the criminal gangs.

Their efforts were bolstered by the support of the Australian Federal Police and other Government agencies.

The Australian Taxation Office has been scrutinising the financial records of gang members — handing many big tax bills — and immigration authorities have helped ramp up the pressure on foreign bikies living in WA.

About 20 people have been hit with deportation orders since the Federal Government tightened visa rules in 2014, giving the Immigration Minister the power to revoke the visas of non-citizens on character grounds if they were linked to organisations reasonably suspected of being involved in crime.

Cdr Scanlan said Federal funding and resources through the National Anti-Gangs Squad program had also significantly boosted their ability to target bikies.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan revealed last year that the collaboration had helped net more than 50kg of methamphetamine, 62kg of cannabis and 24 firearms in two years.

Close to 300 people had been charged and assets worth $2.3 million, including a bikie clubhouse and six motorcycles, had been frozen.