Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding is currently wanted in a US drug trafficking case, as reported by authorities on Thursday. Wedding, who was a snowboarder for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is facing charges for allegedly operating a drug trafficking ring responsible for transporting large quantities of cocaine across the Americas, resulting in several fatalities.
The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to the apprehension and extradition of Wedding. The 43-year-old Canadian citizen, who was residing in Mexico, is considered a fugitive in the United States. Charges against Wedding include running a criminal enterprise, murder, conspiring to distribute cocaine, and other related crimes, according to US prosecutors.
US authorities have disclosed that Wedding’s group was involved in moving substantial shipments of cocaine from Colombia, passing through Mexico and California, to Canada and various locations in the US using long-haul semi-trucks. Martin Estrada, the US Attorney in Los Angeles, mentioned that Wedding is one of 16 individuals charged in connection with the drug trafficking ring, which was reportedly moving 60 tons of cocaine annually, with four suspects still on the run.
Estrada emphasised, “He chose to become a major drug trafficker and he chose to become a killer,” highlighting the seriousness of the charges against Wedding. The FBI has made a dozen arrests in Florida, Michigan, Canada, Colombia, and Mexico in connection with this case. US authorities claim that Wedding’s group was involved in the deaths of two members of a Canadian family in what was believed to be a case of mistaken identity due to a stolen drug shipment, as well as at least one other individual.
Items seized by the authorities in relation to the investigation include cocaine, weapons, ammunition, cash, and over $3 million in cryptocurrency. Apart from the US charges, Wedding is also facing separate drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, as confirmed by Chris Leather, chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Wedding had previously been convicted in the US for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and served a prison sentence in 2010, federal records show.
US authorities suspect that Wedding continued his drug trafficking activities following his release from prison, with allegations that he has been shielded by the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. Investigations into the case are ongoing as authorities work towards bringing Wedding to justice for his alleged involvement in the drug trafficking ring.