In the largest wholesale series of searchs and raids in recent months, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted by local authorities today were searching the premises of enemy aliens and taking into custody potentially dangerous Japanese aliens in 16 Northern California counties ranging from Monterey to north of Sacramento.

The raids blanket the entire Bay Area including San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley and Peninsula communities.

N.L.J. Pieper, special agent in charge of the FBI offices for Northern and Central California, revealed that there were 21 law enforcement agencies assisting the FBI agents, making a total of more than 100 participating in the mass hunt.

A total of 24 enemy aliens were reported taken into custody on presidential warrants by late afternoon. Mr. Pieper said all were being held for immigration authorities.

One, a Buddhist priest, Joshin Motoyoshi, was taken into custody at Niles. He was purported to have said that “newspaper accounts about American troops mowing down Japanese landing parties in the Philippines were a lot of lies.”

Major contraband discovered was in the possession of Kakuichi Morita, Gilroy. Arresting officers said they discovered three short wave radios at his residence. They said Mr. Morita was president of the Gilroy Japanese Association.

Remainder of the Japanese were taken in custody as follows: three, Marin County; one, Courtland; one, Walnut Grove; two, Winters; one, Sacramento; one, Vacaville; two, Isleton; one, Yuba City; one, San Jose; two, Stockton; one, Turlock; one, Berkeley; one, Alameda; two, San Mateo; one, Menlo park; one, Gilroy, and one, Santa Cruz.