In a dramatic international law enforcement operation, former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been taken into custody in Mexico. The arrest concludes a major manhunt for the athlete, who had been placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's prestigious and notorious Ten Most Wanted list.
From Olympic Glory to International Fugitive
Ryan Wedding represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics, competing on the world's grandest sporting stage. His athletic career has now been overshadowed by serious criminal allegations that span continents and involve violent organised crime.
Grave Charges and Global Operations
Authorities have charged Wedding with orchestrating dozens of murders worldwide as part of what investigators describe as a sophisticated, large-scale international drug trafficking network. The operation allegedly moved substantial quantities of cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Southern California, and Canada.
A 2024 indictment initially targeted Wedding for running this extensive drug ring. This was followed by a more comprehensive 2025 indictment that added severe charges including multiple counts of murder, witness tampering, and complex money laundering schemes.
Dangerous Witness Tampering Allegations
One particularly disturbing aspect of the case involves witness identification and subsequent violence. According to court documents, one witness was reportedly identified through a website before being killed in Medellín, Colombia. This incident underscores the dangerous nature of the operations Wedding is accused of overseeing.
Substantial Reward and Previous Convictions
Law enforcement agencies had offered an extraordinary $15 million reward for information leading to Wedding's arrest, highlighting both the seriousness of the charges and the difficulty authorities faced in locating the former athlete. Wedding already has previous convictions for drug offences in both the United States and Canada, establishing a pattern of involvement with narcotics networks.
International Cooperation Leads to Arrest
The arrest in Mexico represents successful collaboration between multiple international law enforcement agencies. Taking a fugitive off the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list represents a significant achievement for global policing efforts against transnational organised crime networks that operate across borders with sophisticated methods.
Wedding now faces extradition proceedings and potentially multiple trials in different jurisdictions for the serious charges against him. The case continues to develop as authorities work to unravel the full extent of the alleged criminal operations.
