Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, has been apprehended by authorities after eluding capture for an extended period, according to sources familiar with the situation. The 44-year-old Wedding was sought for his alleged involvement in a massive multinational drug-trafficking network that authorities claim transported huge quantities of cocaine across the U.S.–Mexico border. Reports indicate that he managed a sophisticated operation capable of smuggling an estimated 60 metric tons of cocaine annually into the Los Angeles region via semitrucks originating from Mexico.
Following his placement on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list earlier this year, with a $15-million reward offered for information leading to his capture, Wedding has drawn comparisons to infamous cartel leaders like Pablo Escobar and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. FBI Director Kash Patel highlighted the significant drug volumes and violence linked to Wedding’s organization.
The arrest of Wedding has been verified by confidential sources who disclosed the information to The Associated Press. FBI Director Patel is set to provide further details regarding the arrest during a press conference scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m.
In recent operations conducted in Mexico City and the surrounding state of Mexico, U.S. authorities confiscated several high-end motorcycles believed to be owned by Wedding, valued at approximately US$40 million. Additional items seized included vehicles, artwork, and what Mexican officials identified as two Olympic medals.
Ryan Wedding gained recognition for representing Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Following his sports career, he allegedly transitioned into organized crime, establishing a narcotics empire described by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as one of the world’s most prolific and violent drug-trafficking networks.
Recent indictments accuse Wedding of orchestrating the murder of a federal witness, who was fatally shot prior to testifying against him. Among the individuals arrested in Canada was Wedding’s lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, who purportedly advised him on the witness’s elimination.