US authorities say motorcycles worth about $40 million seized in Mexico are linked to Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder now accused of running a violent international drug empire.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says motorcycles valued at approximately $40 million seized in Mexico are believed to belong to Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Team Canada.
The luxury bikes were confiscated earlier this month after Mexican authorities carried out multiple search warrants as part of a coordinated international operation.
Wedding is currently listed on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.
Ryan Wedding competed for Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he finished 24th in the parallel giant slalom event.
After his sporting career ended, investigators believe Wedding drifted into the criminal underworld. According to reports, he reportedly took a job as a nightclub bouncer, which authorities say became his entry point into drug trafficking.
In June 2008, Rolling Stone reported that Wedding was convicted of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.
He was released from prison in 2011, but prosecutors allege that his criminal activities escalated significantly after his release.
According to a federal criminal complaint, US prosecutors claim Wedding later became a major drug kingpin.
In 2024, federal authorities filed a superseding indictment, accusing him of running a criminal enterprise involving:
- Cocaine trafficking
- Murder
- Money laundering
- Witness tampering
The alleged operation reportedly stretched across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Colombia.
Additional charges were added in November, intensifying the case against him.
As of early December, at least a dozen individuals had been arrested in connection with the investigation.
Authorities believe Wedding has been operating under the protection of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, making his capture more complex.
The international manhunt has been dubbed “Operation Giant Slalom”, a reference to his Olympic background.
A $15 million reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.
Investigations into his alleged operations remain ongoing.
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