CBP and HSI arrest 11 foreign nationals from cruise ship in Boston for child sexual exploitation materials

BOSTON — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Boston, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations Boston, HSI Fort Lauderdale, and the CBP Fort Lauderdale Human Trafficking Unit, successfully arrested 11 aliens as part of "Operation Tidal Wave" for their part in the reception and disbursement of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation material.

During the operation, conducted from Aug. 14–16, 2026, CBP officers and HSI agents boarded the cruise ships Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway encountering the 11 individuals—nine citizens of the Philippines, one citizen of Indonesia, and one citizen of Nicaragua,

“Protecting children from exploitation is among our highest priorities, and this operation demonstrates the critical role CBP officers play in identifying and stopping individuals who pose a threat to public safety,” said Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Boston Field Office Julio Caravia. “Through strong coordination with HSI, NCMEC, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners, we will continue to use every available authority to disrupt the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material and prevent those involved from entering or remaining in the United States.” 

Following a comprehensive search of the subjects' living quarters and electronic devices, and consultation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, all 11 individuals were processed for removal under Section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for crimes involving moral turpitude. The individuals were processed with the assistance of the shipping agent and are scheduled to depart the United States.

This enforcement action was part of "Operation Tidal Wave," a multiagency initiative led by the CBP Office of Field Operations Enforcement Operations Division, in coordination with HSI agents assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and NCMEC. The operation aims to identify and initiate enforcement actions against cruise ship crewmembers who are associated with the possession, use, procurement, production, or distribution of CSEM and CSAM. 

Previous phases of Operation Tidal Wave have yielded the following:

• Phase 1 (San Diego, April 2026): Resulted in administrative enforcement actions against 27 crewmembers from six vessels, who were processed for removal and returned to their home countries.
• Phase 2 (San Juan, June/July 2026): Resulted in administrative enforcement actions against 14 crewmembers from three vessels, as well as the acceptance of federal prosecution for one crewmember.

“HSI is proud to stand with our colleagues at CBP to reaffirm our message: Anyone who possesses or transports child sexual abuse material is not welcome in the United States and will face serious consequences,” said HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “Together, we leverage our unique authorities to seek justice for children victimized and exploited across the globe.”

Under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the dedicated men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, alongside our law enforcement partners, have arrested and removed thousands of criminal aliens from the country—including gang members, rapists, kidnappers, and drug traffickers—to make our communities safer.

CBP remains committed to working with domestic and international partners to identify and interdict those who pose a threat to public safety and to prevent the exploitation of children. Under federal law, any involvement with CSEM is strictly prohibited and carries severe penalties, including criminal prosecution, removal, and 10-year inadmissibility to the United States.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.