Eleven cruise crew members arrested during Boston ship searches
Federal authorities boarded Holland America Line’s Volendam and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway as part of a multi-agency operation targeting child sexual abuse material.
Authorities arrested 11 crew members from Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line ships over allegations that they received and distributed child sexual abuse images. Customs and Border Protection officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents boarded Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway in Boston between Aug. 14 and 16.
CBP said officers searched the individuals’ living quarters and electronic devices and consulted the U.S. Attorney’s Office. All 11 were processed for removal under the Immigration and Nationality Act for crimes involving moral turpitude and were scheduled to leave the United States, according to the agency.
Nine of the individuals were citizens of the Philippines, one was an Indonesian citizen and one was a Nicaraguan citizen. Officials did not disclose their identities. Holland America said it was cooperating with law enforcement and had terminated the people involved. Norwegian said it was aware of the situation and was cooperating with the appropriate authorities.
CBP described the arrests as part of Operation Tidal Wave, a multi-agency initiative targeting the production, procurement, possession, use and distribution of child sexual abuse and exploitation material among cruise crew members. The agency said an earlier phase in San Juan during June and July led to administrative enforcement actions involving 14 crew members from three ships, with federal prosecution accepted for one person.