Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding has been arrested in Mexico and will be extradited to the US after years on the run, FBI Director Kash Patel announced. Wedding, who had been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is accused of running a transnational drug trafficking operation that moved tonnes of cocaine across international borders.
At 44, Wedding was also wanted on murder charges, with US officials suggesting he was living under the protection of the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico. During a press conference where US and Canadian law enforcement officials spoke, it was highlighted that no single agency or nation can combat organized crime alone.
Mike Duheme, the head of Canada's federal police, expressed relief at Wedding's capture, stating, We can finally say that our communities, our countries, are much safer with the arrest of Ryan Wedding. He is expected to appear in court on Monday.
Officials allege that Wedding's drug trafficking organization was responsible for importing approximately 60 metric tonnes of cocaine annually, earning around $1 billion a year. The operation spanned North America and several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Before his arrest, Wedding was accused of killing a federal witness associated with an ongoing case against him and has been linked to multiple murders globally. He now faces a variety of charges including murder, witness tampering, money laundering, and drug trafficking, in addition to a $15 million reward previously offered for his capture.
The details of how Wedding was apprehended remain largely undisclosed, although Mexican officials noted he voluntarily surrendered at a US embassy. Patel drew parallels between Wedding and infamous drug lords like Pablo Escobar and Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán, emphasizing the collaboration between US and Mexican authorities in the investigation.
Wedding has been known to use various aliases and has reportedly undergone plastic surgery to evade capture. His criminal enterprise allegedly began after his release from a US federal prison in 2011.
Recent reports indicate he had been living in luxury, with significant assets seized by Mexican authorities, including $40 million in racing motorcycles and luxury items. Interestingly, Wedding has no Olympic medals to his name, despite competing in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
