When you board a cruise ship leaving the United States, you have to show a U.S. passport, which is electronically scanned. A photo is also taken and provided to U.S. authorities along with the ship’s passenger manifest. On return, you have to pass through U.S. customs. So you’d think the last thing a wanted person would do is book a cruise - but you would be wrong.
At the Galveston Cruise Port, 327 cruise ship passengers were arrested by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Officers over a two-year period between 2022 and 2024.
This year, CBP has posted photos to social media of more than 20 arrests this month and last of passengers at Florida cruise ports.
Among those arrested were Martell Murray, whom the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said “had a warrant (for) a violation of his release conditions for his murder charges …and his cabin mate, Kenderia Burney … (who) had a warrant for violation of probation.”
The pair were among six cruise passengers arrested for outstanding warrants and probation violations by sheriff’s deputies at the Port Canaveral, Florida Cruise Port on July 17, 2026.
Not just cruise passengers run afoul of US authorities. On April 20, 2026, four cruise ship crew members “who admitted to having child sex abuse materials” were arrested at Port Everglades, Florida, and were processed for deportation to their home countries.
Finally, a word to the wise: whether you are passengers or crew and considering trying to sneak contraband aboard a cruise ship - don’t! Your luggage (and you) are highly likely to meet a drug-sniffing dog either employed by the cruise lines or the U.S. government — and their keen noses don’t miss much (as the photos below show).
Are you surprised that people with warrants or contraband would risk passing through security to go on a cruise?
Share your opinion in a comment to this story!
Abrazos,
Jack Beavers
Click the button above to add US Border News as a preferred source in your Google News feed!
Jack, thank you for sharing this information. It’s amazing how brazen criminals can be scamming us. I always say that when people try to excuse illegal people because they are not "criminals ". The very fact that they are illegal is a crime. I have friends and family members who emigrated the legally. It's difficult and very important to them. Every single one of them is appalled at the number of illegal I'm migrants.