Mexican authorities have announced the seizure of motorcycles, Olympic medals, and illicit substances in a series of operations, which appear to be linked to the search for Canadian fugitive Ryan Wedding. This marks a significant development in Mexico’s efforts to apprehend the alleged drug lord with cartel ties.
Although not explicitly naming Wedding, the government’s statement indicated that the raids targeted a foreign former Olympian on the U.S. most-wanted list. Ryan Wedding, a 44-year-old native of Thunder Bay, Ont., who competed in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, is the likely subject of the operation, as reported by Mexican media.
The security secretariat of Mexico stated that four properties in Mexico City and the surrounding state of Mexico were raided as part of the operation, involving various agencies such as the navy, national guard, and federal agents from the attorney general’s office.
The seized items included 62 high-end motorcycles, two vehicles, two Olympic medals, methamphetamine, marijuana, artworks, ammunition, and documents. It remains unclear to whom the medals belong, as Wedding placed 24th in the parallel giant slalom event in 2002 and did not participate in subsequent Olympic Games.
Allegations suggest that Wedding transitioned into criminal activities after his sporting career, establishing a billion-dollar drug-smuggling enterprise associated with numerous homicides. He is believed to be evading capture in Mexico, with the U.S. offering a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his arrest.
Recent revelations by the U.S. Treasury Department indicate that Wedding employs various assets such as luxury vehicles, motorcycles, properties, front companies, and cryptocurrency to conceal his extensive wealth. Investigations have also hinted at Wedding’s potential ties to Mexico City and the state of Mexico.
Efforts to locate Wedding have extended to social media campaigns and investigations into his associates, including his reported girlfriend, Daniela Alejandra Acuna Macias. The FBI has focused on central Mexico suburbs, seeking leads on Wedding’s whereabouts.
Court records reveal a meeting between Wedding, his alleged associate Andrew Clark, and former drug trafficker turned FBI informant Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia in a Mexico City coffee shop in January 2024. Acebedo-Garcia, a Montreal-born individual, was later assassinated in Colombia, with U.S. prosecutors alleging Wedding’s involvement in orchestrating the hit.
In a separate development, Deepak Paradkar, a Toronto-area defense lawyer implicated in advising Wedding on the murder, was recently granted bail by an Ontario court. Paradkar maintains his innocence despite the allegations.
The ongoing operations and investigations underscore the complexities surrounding the search for Ryan Wedding and the extensive network associated with his criminal activities.