Authorities announced last Thursday that a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder identified as Ryan James Wedding has been accused of operating a drug trafficking organisation that killed four people and transported massive quantities of cocaine throughout the Americas.
Ryan James Wedding is a Canadian citizen living in Mexico and a fugitive. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to his apprehension and extradition. According to US authorities, the 43-year-old is accused of a number of offences in the US, including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, murder, and operating a criminal enterprise.
According to U.S. investigators, Wedding’s organisation used long-haul semi-trucks to transport massive supplies of cocaine from Colombia via Mexico and California to Canada and other U.S. sites.
Martin Estrada, the U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, stated that Wedding, who is also facing accusations from years ago in Canada, is one of 16 individuals charged in relation to a network that transported 60 tonnes of cocaine annually and four of them are still at large.
“He made the decision to become a prominent drug trafficker and a murderer,” Estrada informed reporters.
In connection with the case, twelve people were arrested in Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico, according to FBI special agent in charge in Los Angeles, Krysti Hawkins.
In what Canadian officials said was a case of mistaken identity, the group allegedly killed two members of a family in Canada in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment, along with two other individuals, according to federal court files and officials.
In the course of their investigation, authorities claimed to have found cocaine, firearms, ammunition, cash and over $3 million in cryptocurrencies. According to officials, Wedding represented Canada at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002.
Chris Leather, chief superintendent of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, stated that Wedding is facing separate narcotics trafficking accusations in Canada that go back to 2015. According to Leather, “those charges are very much unresolved.”
According to federal records, Wedding was previously found guilty in the United States of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and received a jail sentence in 2010. According to Estrada, U.S. agents think that Wedding has been shielded by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico and has resumed drug trafficking after his release.
