A routine docking at the Port of San Diego turned into a nightmare as federal agents swept through eight cruise ships, arresting over two dozen employees in a massive child exploitation bust.
Twenty-eight crew members from three countries—26 from the Philippines, one from Indonesia, and one from Portugal—were pulled aside and questioned. Customs and Border Protection officials confirmed that 27 of them were involved in the receipt, possession, distribution, or viewing of child sexual abuse material.
Some of those arrested worked for Disney Cruise Line—though the company declined to say exactly how many. In a statement, Disney made its position razor-sharp: "We have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior and fully cooperated with law enforcement. Those who were from our cruise line are no longer with the company."
The operation unfolded over five days in late April, with CBP agents boarding vessel after vessel. The suspects’ visas were immediately revoked, and all of them are now slated for deportation.
For passengers, the reality was jarring. Dharmi Mehta was aboard one of the ships when the arrests happened. She watched in shock as her own server—still in full uniform with a blazer and tie—was handcuffed. Other crew members, still wearing chef's whites and name tags, were led away in plain sight.
"It was really unsettling," Mehta said, describing how the illusion of a perfect vacation shattered in moments.
The Port of San Diego stated it had no role in the enforcement action. Under California law, local and state authorities are barred from cooperating with federal immigration officials—a policy that kept the port itself on the sidelines while federal agents moved in.
