Overview
- Federal agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations boarded the MS Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway between Aug. 14 and 16 and arrested 11 foreign crewmembers after searching living quarters and electronic devices.
- CBP said nine of the detainees are citizens of the Philippines, one is from Indonesia and one is from Nicaragua, and all were processed for removal under Section 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for crimes involving moral turpitude.
- The Boston action is the latest phase of Operation Tidal Wave, a CBP‑led initiative coordinated with HSI, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to target crewmembers linked to child sexual abuse material.
- Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line said they cooperated with investigators and terminated the implicated employees, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts has not yet announced whether it will bring criminal charges.
- Earlier phases of the operation produced administrative removals in San Diego and San Juan and one accepted federal prosecution, a pattern that shows authorities can move by deportation first while criminal charging decisions remain pending.