Isha Sharma
Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been charged with leading a massive cocaine ring and directing murders. He remains a fugitive, with a $50K reward for his capture.
The Cocaine Trafficking Operation
Ryan James Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, is now at the centre of a major criminal case.
U.S. prosecutors have charged the 43-year-old with operating a vast cocaine trafficking ring that moved approximately 60 tons of cocaine annually.
The drugs were smuggled from Colombia, through Mexico, into the U.S., and up to Canada using semi-trucks.
Authorities arrested 12 individuals in connection with the drug ring, but Wedding remains at large, with the FBI offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Wedding’s group has been linked to other serious crimes, including murders connected to drug debts and mistaken identity in Canada.
Despite his background as an athlete, Wedding allegedly became deeply involved in drug trafficking after serving a prison sentence for similar offences in 2010.
The Murders and Ongoing Manhunt
Wedding’s criminal organisation turned violent in 2023 when they orchestrated the murder of two family members in Canada over a stolen drug shipment, a crime that authorities later revealed to be a case of mistaken identity.
Wedding and his associate Andrew Clark are also accused of orchestrating another murder in 2024 related to a drug debt.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada emphasised the severity of the case, noting Wedding’s transition from drug trafficker to orchestrating murders.
The FBI continues its search for Wedding, who is believed to be hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa cartel.
His involvement in drug crimes stretches back to 2015, with unresolved charges in Canada further complicating his case.
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