Ryan Wedding, a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder allegedly behind one of the most violent drug trafficking organizations, was taken into custody in Mexico, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Wedding was “taken into custody in Mexico last night. He is being transferred from Mexico to the United States via the FBI FTOC to face justice.”
Patel noted that “Wedding is believed to have been hiding in Mexico for more than a decade and has been wanted on charges of cocaine trafficking and murder since 2014.”
“He allegedly directed and participated in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to the United States and Canada, as a member of the Sinaloa Cartel,” Patel added in a statement on X.
He added that “this operation is the result of great cooperation and teamwork with the Government of Mexico. We especially thank our extraordinary partners in Mexico, who facilitated this operation: President Sheinbaum, Secretary Harfuch, Ambassador Ron Johnson, Legat Mexico, and others. Our federal partners at the Justice Department, the State Department, and others were also critical. Our HRT, CIRG, and aviation units performed exceptional work.”
She also mentioned that “this is the sixth FBI Most Wanted fugitive in a year: fugitives who had been on the run for almost 40 years. This is no coincidence. President Trump is allowing good cops to be cops, and the results speak for themselves.
“This also comes after the FBI recently increased our reward for the Ten Most Wanted to $1 million, reflecting that we are more committed than ever to this program and what it accomplishes in delivering justice.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted that “under my direction, @FBI agents have apprehended another member of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list: Ryan Wedding.”
“We thank our outstanding Ambassador Ron Johnson and Mexican authorities for their support in this case.”
“Wedding has been transferred to the United States where he will face justice,” Bondi stated.
Wedding, 44, was wanted by the FBI on charges of leading a transnational drug trafficking organization responsible for importing approximately 60 tons of cocaine annually into the United States. Los Angeles via semi-trailer trucks from Mexico, Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier at a press conference.
Patel had compared Wedding to the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the notorious leader of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa Cartel.
In March, Wedding was added to the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list, and there was a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or prosecution.
Mexican authorities seized dozens of motorcycles in 2025, valued at an estimated $40 million, believed to belong to Wedding. They also seized two Olympic medals, two vehicles, drugs, artwork, and other items at various locations in Mexico City.
Wedding went from being an Olympian in 2002 to being arrested and sentenced in 2010 to 48 months in prison for attempting to smuggle 24 kilograms of cocaine into Canada. cocaine from San Diego, USA.
After serving his sentence, Wedding was extradited in 2011 to Canada, where he attempted to organize the transport of tons of drugs for the Sinaloa Cartel.
A press conference on the case is expected later today.
Harfuch says “a Canadian citizen surrendered”
Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch reported that after the visit of FBI Director Patel, “he departed today for the United States, taking with him two priority targets: a non-U.S. citizen who was arrested by Mexican authorities as one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted, and a Canadian citizen who voluntarily surrendered yesterday at the U.S. Embassy.”
Harfuch added that “the meetings took place in an atmosphere of respect, and it was agreed to continue strengthening coordination, which has already produced concrete results. Cooperation will continue, and the exchange of information will be reinforced, with the purpose of strengthening the security of both countries.”
He recalled that “following the agreement reached with the United States government on January 22, we received a visit yesterday from FBI Director Kash Patel. Two meetings were held: one with the team from the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) and another with the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR). During the meetings with the FBI Director and Ambassador Johnson, the increase in coordinated operations to apprehend perpetrators of violence and high-priority targets impacting both countries was acknowledged. It was agreed to continue coordinated efforts for the benefit of both nations, with full respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Source: eluniversal
