CBP Raids Cruise Ships, Arrests 28 Crew Members Involved in Child Exploitation
05/09/2026 // Douglas Harrington // 2.8K Views
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers boarded five cruise ships in San Diego between April 23 and April 25, arresting 28 crew members suspected of involvement with child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), according to a spokesman for the agency. The operation included a Disney cruise ship, and passengers observed the boarding but were not informed of the purpose, the spokesman said. [1]
CBP interviewed 26 crew members from the Philippines, one from Portugal and one from Indonesia. Of those, 27 were confirmed to have received, possessed, transported, distributed, or viewed CSEM. The agency canceled the visas of the confirmed individuals and deported them to their countries of citizenship. [1]
Details of Operation and Charges
After boarding the vessels and interviewing suspected crew members, officers confirmed all subjects were involved in either the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution or viewing of CSEM or child pornography. CBP canceled the visas of 27 individuals and removed them from the United States.
The agency did not specify if additional criminal charges were filed beyond visa cancellation and removal. [1] The operation reflects CBP's ongoing enforcement against child exploitation in the maritime industry, officials said.
https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-05-09-cbp-raids-cruise-ships-arrests-crew-members.html
