NEW: @CBP and @HSI_HQ arrested 11 foreign cruise ship crewmembers in Boston as part of an operation targeting individuals allegedly associated with child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) August 21, 2026
CBP says officers and HSI agents boarded the Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway from… pic.twitter.com/v4JLnjHy5M
@CBP
and
@HSI_HQ
arrested 11 foreign cruise ship crewmembers in Boston as part of an operation targeting individuals allegedly associated with child sexual abuse and exploitation material.CBP says officers and HSI agents boarded the Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway from Aug. 14–16 as part of “Operation Tidal Wave,” encountering:
• 9 citizens of the Philippines
• 1 citizen of Indonesia
• 1 citizen of NicaraguaAccording to CBP, investigators searched the individuals’ living quarters and electronic devices before consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
All 11 were ultimately processed for removal from the U.S. for crimes involving moral turpitude and are scheduled to depart the country.
“Operation Tidal Wave” specifically targets cruise ship crewmembers associated with the possession, use, procurement, production or distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation material (CSEM).
This is the third phase of the operation:
— San Diego, April: 27 crewmembers from six vessels processed for removal and returned to their home countries.
— San Juan, June/July: 14 crewmembers from three vessels faced administrative enforcement action, with one case accepted for federal prosecution.
— Boston, August: 11 crewmembers processed for removal.That brings the operation’s three phases to 52 crewmembers facing administrative enforcement actions, with one case accepted for federal prosecution.
“Anyone who possesses or transports child sexual abuse material is not welcome in the United States and will face serious consequences,” HSI New England Acting SAC Jeffrey Grimming said.
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