According to the Daily Caller, a CBP spokesperson confirmed that Disney staffers aboard a cruise ship docked in San Diego were among 28 individuals taken into custody in late April. Between April 23 and April 27, authorities boarded eight cruise ships and interviewed 26 suspected crew members from the Philippines, along with one from Portugal and another from Indonesia, The California Post reported.
“Officers confirmed that 27 of the 28 subjects were involved in either the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution, or viewing of CSEM or child pornography,” a CBP spokesperson told Variety in a statement published Thursday. “CBP cancelled their visas and these criminals have been returned to their country of citizenship.”
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A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line issued a statement, according to Variety. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior and fully cooperated with law enforcement,” the company said.
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“While the majority of these individuals were not from our cruise line, those who were are no longer with the company,” they continued. The swift dismissals underscore how even major corporations that loudly advertise their “family-friendly” branding can still face serious lapses in vetting and oversight, raising questions about industry-wide standards and the need for tougher scrutiny of foreign crew hiring practices.
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Passenger Dharmi Mehta, who was aboard the Disney Magic, recorded video that appeared to show immigration authorities detaining several crew members, 10 News reported. She claimed that one of those taken into custody had been her primary server during the voyage.
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“It wasn’t until they turned around that you could read the back where it says Customs and Border, but it still said, you know, police or officer,” Mehta told 10 News. Her account highlights how the operation unfolded in full view of paying customers, a stark reminder that the threat of child exploitation reaches even into heavily regulated, high-dollar leisure industries.
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Homeland Security Investigations officials stated on May 7 that the arrests were “part of Operation Tidal Wave.” “The arrests targeted individuals suspected of involvement with Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), based on information received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” they said, according to News 10.
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Authorities have not released the ages or identities of the crew members detained, a common practice in ongoing federal investigations involving child exploitation. The Daily Caller has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for further details on the operation, which will likely intensify calls from conservatives for stricter immigration controls, more aggressive enforcement at ports of entry, and greater corporate accountability from powerful entertainment brands that profit from marketing themselves as safe spaces for children.
