U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has deported 27 cruise ship employees linked to allegations concerning child pornography, as detailed in a statement released Monday by the agency.
During an ongoing investigation targeting child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), CBP conducted inspections on eight cruise ships docked in San Diego between April 23 and April 27, a CBP representative informed Fox News Digital.
Of the 28 employees detained, 27 were found to have engaged in activities such as receiving, possessing, transporting, distributing, or viewing CSEM or child pornography, according to a spokesperson from CBP.
The agency proceeded to revoke the visas of these 27 individuals, 26 of whom hailed from the Philippines, and subsequently deported them to their respective countries.
An overhead view captures the San Diego skyline and harbor along the California coastline. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group)
NewsNation reported that at least 10 of those detained were employed by Disney Cruise Line.
A spokesperson for Disney Cruise Line told NBC News they have a “zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior” and that the company cooperated with the investigation fully.
“While the majority of these individuals were not from our cruise line, those who were are no longer with the company,” the spokesperson told NBC.
Aerial view of the Disney Wonder cruise ship docked at B Street Pier on March 20, 2020 in San Diego, California. At least 10 of the suspects in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CSEM investigation were employees of Disney Wonder. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Another cruise liner, Holland America, also confirmed to NBC that some of its employees were involved in the investigation. The company called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and told NBC the employees had been “terminated.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California told KPBS that there are no pending charges for the individuals in the district.
The Disney Fantasy cruise ship by Disney Cruise Line docked in Falmouth, Jamaica, on May 2, 2018. (iStock)
A source with knowledge of CBP operations told Fox News Digital that the bar for deportations is lower than it would be to prosecute the alleged offenders criminally.
“A criminal charge is not required for an individual to be found inadmissible or for their visa to be revoked; administrative thresholds for visa cancellations are distinct from criminal prosecution standards,” the source told Fox News Digital.
“Visa revocations may occur when information surfaces after the initial visa issuance that would preclude admission to the United States. CBP retains the authority to cancel visas and refuse admission at any time should new information arise,” the source concluded.
Fox News Digital contacted the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, Disney Cruise Line and Holland America but did not immediately receive a response.
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