Nomads bikies arrested in SA and NSW

Twelve members of the Nomads bikie gang have been arrested after police raids in South Australia and NSW.

They have been charged with offences including soliciting to murder, kidnapping and blackmail.

Nine arrests were made in NSW and three in SA on Wednesday in an operation involving 170 police officers and organised crime detectives.

Among those detained are the national vice-president of the gang, the SA president and the SA sergeant at arms.

Others were members, nominees, associates or prospects of the Nomads.

Police will allege the offences occurred in South Australia between November 2014 and March 2015.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Dickson says the victims have been subjected to serious assaults and kidnapping after failing to comply with demands from gang members.

He says this again shows that motorcycle gangs are not harmless groups who just enjoy riding bikes.

"These are well-organised criminal gangs driven by a culture of self-interest and violence internally and within the community," he said.

"They are quite happy to harm the community and they are also quite happy to harm their own members when it suits them."

Those arrested in SA have been remanded in custody to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on August 4.

Those arrested in NSW are expected to appear in the Goulburn Magistrates Court on Thursday where SA police will seek their extradition.