Disney Cruise Crew Among 28 Arrested in Child Exploitation Investigation at San Diego Port

Federal authorities arrested 28 cruise ship crew members, including employees linked to Disney Cruise Line, during a major child exploitation investigation at the Port of San Diego

By: Nisha Srivastava
Last Updated: May 7, 2026 13:32:54 IST

Disney Cruise Crew Arrested in Child Exploitation Probe Federal Agents Detain 28 Workers During San Diego Port Operation
Disney Cruise Crew Arrested in Child Exploitation Probe Federal Agents Detain 28 Workers During San Diego Port Operation

Federal authorities arrested multiple cruise ship crew members, including employees working on a Disney Cruise Line vessel, during a large enforcement operation linked to child sexual exploitation investigations at the Port of San Diego.

According to a spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection, officers boarded five cruise ships docked in San Diego between April 23 and April 25 as part of an ongoing investigation involving child sexual exploitation material (CSEM).

Federal Agents Boarded Five Cruise Ships

Authorities said officers interviewed 28 suspected crew members from several countries, including the Philippines, Portugal, and Indonesia. “After boarding the vessels and interviewing 26 suspected crew members from the Philippines, one suspected crew member from Portugal, and one from Indonesia, officers confirmed all subjects were involved in either the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution, or viewing of CSEM or child pornography,” the CBP spokesperson said. Officials later confirmed that the crew members were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

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Disney Cruise Employees Arrested in Front of Passengers

Ten crew members connected to Disney Cruise Line were arrested while the Disney Magic cruise ship was unloading passengers in San Diego. Passengers onboard witnessed the arrests taking place in real time.

One passenger, Dharmi Mehta, said she had just completed a five-day family trip aboard the ship, which included stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada, before returning to California.

While going through customs, she noticed officers escorting several crew members off the vessel in restraints. Later, she reportedly saw more workers being placed into a white van surrounded by federal agents.

According to Mehta, one of the detained employees was the head waiter who had served her family throughout the trip. “He was still in his Disney uniform. He had no bags with him. He had two daughters he was expecting to see soon,” she said. “So that was just my big concern, like how is he gonna reach out to his family? Does the family even know that he’s not getting back on the ship today?”

Additional Arrests Made on Holland America Ship

The enforcement operation continued on April 25, when ICE officers returned to the cruise terminal and arrested four additional crew members from the MS Zaandam operated by Holland America Line. Authorities have not confirmed which other ships the remaining arrested crew members were connected to outside the Disney vessel.

Disney Responds to the Incident

A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line said the company fully cooperated with investigators. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior and fully cooperated with law enforcement. These individuals are no longer with the company,” the spokesperson stated.

Officials also confirmed that visas belonging to the accused crew members had been cancelled. “CBP cancelled their visas and these criminals are being removed from our country,” the agency spokesperson added.

Port Authorities Say Local Police Were Not Involved

The Port of San Diego clarified that local harbor police officers did not take part in the federal enforcement action. “The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department did not have any involvement in the reported enforcement actions on April 23 or April 25 at the B Street Cruise Terminal,” a port spokesperson told local media.

Investigation Continues

Federal agencies have not yet disclosed additional details about the investigation or whether more arrests could follow. The case has drawn widespread attention after videos and eyewitness accounts from passengers began circulating online, showing crew members being detained as vacationers watched from the cruise terminal.

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