MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON D.C. – The arrest of Ryan James Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder accused of operating as a high-level operative within the Sinaloa Cartel, marks a significant victory for transnational law enforcement agencies, underscoring the evolving profile of modern narco-trafficking leadership.
Wedding, 44, was apprehended in Mexico late Thursday, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. Authorities allege that for over a decade, Wedding utilized his decade-long evasion to manage a sophisticated, high-volume cocaine distribution network spanning Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. border states into Canada.
“He went from an Olympic snowboarder to the largest narco-trafficker in modern times,” stated Patel during a press briefing, drawing parallels between Wedding and notorious figures like El Chapo, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the prosecution. Wedding had been placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in March, with a substantial reward offered for information leading to his capture.
The scope of the alleged operation is staggering. Assistant Director Akil Davis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office confirmed that Wedding’s organization is linked to the trafficking of approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine through Southern California alone. Beyond narcotics, the indictment charges Wedding with orchestrating severe violence, including the targeted murder of a federal witness.
Wedding’s alleged criminal enterprise reportedly began shortly after his release from a previous federal conviction in 2011 related to an initial 2008 drug conspiracy sting. Prosecutors assert that following his initial term, he founded the current, far more expansive organization.
Following his transfer to the U.S., Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed Wedding’s impending court appearance. The operation leading to his capture involved extensive coordination between the FBI, the U.S. Treasury Department (which has sanctioned 19 individuals linked to the network), and Mexican authorities.
The investigation has already yielded substantial seizures, including over $55 million in illicit assets, thousands of kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl, and recently, the seizure of luxury assets in Mexico City believed to be linked to Wedding, including motorcycles valued near $40 million and even two Olympic medals.
The case serves as a potent reminder of the persistent entanglement between high-level organized crime, finance, and border security across North America. While Wedding faces justice, authorities continue to pursue other members of the network, with the State Department offering rewards for additional arrests.
Source attribution: Based on reports from U.S. federal law enforcement agencies and NBC News.