Dozens of Northern District police officers on Thursday morning raided several locations in the community of Yavne'el, as part of a targeted enforcement operation against underage marriage.
Sixteen minors and adults from their immediate circles were detained for questioning on suspicion of involvement in arranging and conducting marriages in violation of the law.
Thursday morning's raid marks another dramatic stage in a lengthy undercover investigation, which law enforcement officials say is taking place within a small, closed community centered in the town.
The previous wave of arrests, carried out several weeks ago, saw Northern District police detaining more than 20 additional suspects for questioning over suspected involvement in similar cases.
According to the findings of the investigation, police have established grounds to suspect that some of those involved were illegally married in recent months, while in other cases concrete preparations had already begun for additional illegal wedding ceremonies.
Israel Police describe a systematic and sophisticated method designed to make it difficult for law enforcement officers to locate and document the illegal ceremonies.
Among other measures, the underage weddings are often held in the early morning hours with a small, carefully selected group of participants. The location of the ceremony is not disclosed to participants in advance, and is instead kept secret.
One of the prominent features uncovered in the investigation was an absolute prohibition on those attending to bring mobile phones into the venue or to photograph the event, out of concern that photographic evidence of the prohibited marriage ceremony could remain.
After the clandestine religious ceremony was completed, those involved would in many cases hold a separate celebration attended by numerous relatives and guests, which was outwardly presented as an innocent "engagement party."