Disney Cruise Workers Arrested in Child Pornography Investigation at San Diego Port

Federal agents arrested dozens of cruise ship employees, including workers connected to Disney Cruise Line, during a large-scale child pornography investigation at the Port of San Diego last month.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 28 crew members from multiple cruise lines were detained after agents boarded eight cruise ships between April 23 and April 27. Officials say 27 of those workers were allegedly involved in the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution, or viewing of child sexual exploitation material, also known as child pornography.

The workers detained were primarily from the Philippines, along with one individual from Indonesia and another from Portugal. Federal officials say all involved had their visas revoked and are now facing deportation proceedings.

It remains unclear exactly how many of the suspects worked for Disney Cruise Line. In a statement released following the arrests, Disney said the company fully cooperated with law enforcement and maintains a “zero-tolerance policy” regarding child exploitation offenses.

“While the majority of these individuals were not from our cruise line, those who were are no longer with the company,” Disney said in a statement.

Passengers aboard the ships described the scene as disturbing and unexpected. Dharmi Mehta, who had been vacationing on one of the Disney cruises, said she witnessed federal agents detaining crew members while passengers were disembarking.

One of the employees arrested had reportedly served Mehta during her five-day trip.

“He was full in uniform, which was in a blazer, tie,” Mehta told reporters. “Some of the other employees were still in their chef’s uniforms with their name tags on it.”

Mehta said the arrests were “really unsettling,” adding that many passengers appeared confused as federal agents escorted workers off the ships and into waiting vans near the terminal.

The operation has sparked concern online due to the family-oriented nature of cruise vacations, particularly those involving Disney cruises that attract large numbers of children and families each year.

The Port of San Diego confirmed local harbor police were not involved in the arrests. Officials cited California law, including SB 54, which limits local participation in federal immigration enforcement operations.

Federal authorities have not released additional details about how the suspects were identified or whether additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.