U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents apprehended Disney cruise staffers amid an operation targeting alleged child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), the agency said.

A CBP spokeperson said Disney staffers aboard a cruise ship docked in San Diego were among 28 people taken into custody by authorities, The California Post reported Wednesday. Authorities boarded eight cruise ships between April 23 and April 27 and spoke with 26 suspected crew members from the Philippines as well as one from Portugal and another from Indonesia.

“Officers confirmed that 27 of the 28 subjects were involved in either the receipt, possession, transportation, distribution, or viewing of CSEM or child pornography,” a CBP spokesperson told Variety in a statement published Thursday.

“CBP cancelled their visas and these criminals have been returned to their country of citizenship.”

Staffers on a Disney cruise ship docked in San Diego were among 28 people arrested in a sweeping crackdown on a child pornography operation:

• CBP agents boarded eight cruise ships between April 23-27 and interviewed suspects from the Philippines, Portugal and Indonesia

• 27… pic.twitter.com/uG8Hf3cbVG

— Variety (@Variety) May 7, 2026

A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line issued a statement, according to Variety. “We have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior and fully cooperated with law enforcement,” the company said.

“While the majority of these individuals were not from our cruise line, those who were are no longer with the company,” they continued.

Dharmi Mehta, a passenger aboard the Disney Magic ship, captured footage that seemingly showed immigration enforcement apprehending several employees, 10 News reported. She alleged that one of those apprehended was her primary server during the cruise.

“It wasn’t until they turned around that you could read the back where it says Customs and Border, but it still said, you know, police or officer,” Mehta told 10 News.

Homeland Security Investigations officials issued a statement May 7 confirming the arrets were “part of Operation Tidal Wave.”  (RELATED: Prosecutors Claim ‘Significant Amount’ Of Child Porn Found On D4vd’s Phone Amid Murder Trial)

“The arrests targeted individuals suspected of involvement with Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), based on information received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” they said, according to News 10.

The ages and identities of the staffers taken into custody were not disclosed.

The Daily Caller has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment on the operation.