Eleven foreign nationals working aboard cruise ships docked in Boston were arrested and processed for removal from the United States following an investigation into alleged involvement with child sexual abuse and exploitation material, US Customs and Border Protection said.
The enforcement action, conducted from August 14 to 16, involved officers from CBP and agents from Homeland Security Investigations, according to a CBP release issued August 20.
Officials boarded the Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway and encountered 11 individuals: nine citizens of the Philippines, one citizen of Indonesia and one citizen of Nicaragua.
Operation Tidal Wave targets cruise ship crew members
The Boston operation was part of Operation Tidal Wave, a multiagency initiative aimed at identifying cruise ship crew members allegedly connected to the possession, use, procurement, production or distribution of child sexual abuse material and child sexual exploitation material.
CBP said officers searched the individuals' living quarters and electronic devices and consulted with the US Attorney's Office before processing all 11 for removal under Section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which covers certain crimes involving moral turpitude.
{{/usCountry}}CBP said officers searched the individuals' living quarters and electronic devices and consulted with the US Attorney's Office before processing all 11 for removal under Section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which covers certain crimes involving moral turpitude.
{{/usCountry}}The agency said the individuals received assistance from the shipping agent during processing and were scheduled to leave the United States.
CBP Acting Director of Field Operations for the Boston Field Office Julio Caravia said protecting children from exploitation remained a priority and described the operation as an example of coordination between border authorities and law enforcement agencies.
The operation involved HSI Boston, HSI Fort Lauderdale, the CBP Fort Lauderdale Human Trafficking Unit, agents assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and other law enforcement partners.
More than 40 crew members targeted in earlier phases
The Boston action marked the latest phase of Operation Tidal Wave.
CBP said the first phase, conducted in San Diego in April, resulted in administrative enforcement action against 27 crew members from six vessels, who were processed for removal and returned to their home countries.
A second phase in San Juan in June and July resulted in administrative action against 14 crew members from three vessels, while one crew member was accepted for federal prosecution, according to the agency.
With the latest operation in Boston, CBP has now reported administrative enforcement actions involving 52 cruise ship crew members across the three phases, based on figures released by the agency.
HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming said authorities would continue to pursue people found to possess or transport child sexual abuse material.
CBP said involvement with child sexual exploitation material is prohibited under federal law and can lead to criminal prosecution, removal from the United States and a 10-year period of inadmissibility.
The agency did not release the names of the 11 individuals or provide further details about the material allegedly recovered during the Boston operation.