Date Posted: May 6, 2026 – New York Time

28 Cruise Ship Employees Arrested in Child Exploitation Crackdown, Including Disney Cruise Line Staff

U.S. federal authorities have confirmed that 28 cruise ship employees were arrested in a large-scale investigation involving child sexual exploitation material, including staff members working for Disney Cruise Line.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), federal agents inspected five cruise ships docked at the Port of San Diego from April 23 to 25 as part of an operation to sweep for digital child sexual exploitation material.

Authorities stated that following questioning and inspections, 28 crew members were identified as being involved in receiving, storing, transporting, distributing, or viewing child sexual exploitation material, also known as CSEM.

Those arrested include:

  • 26 Filipino nationals

  • 1 Portuguese national

  • 1 Indonesian national

CBP stated that all suspects' visas have been revoked, and they will be deported from the United States.

A Disney spokesperson confirmed the company cooperated with investigators and terminated the employment of the individuals involved.

“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior. These individuals are no longer employed by the company,” Disney stated.

Passengers aboard the Disney Magic in San Diego reported seeing several employees being handcuffed at the port upon arrival. One passenger, Dharmi Mehta, noted that her table server was among those arrested.

Authorities have not released a full list of other ships involved besides the Disney vessel. Local media also reported that several crew members on the Holland America MV Zaandam were arrested during the same period.

The San Diego Unified Port District Harbor Police confirmed that local forces did not participate in the operation.