Mexican authorities say they have raided four properties and seized dozens of luxury items believed to be linked to Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder now accused of leading a major drug trafficking operation. Former FBI officials say the raids suggest investigators are getting closer to finding one of the United States’ most wanted fugitives.
Officials say they seized 62 high-end motorcycles, two vehicles, drugs including methamphetamine and marijuana, artwork, ammunition and documents. Authorities also reported seizing two Olympic medals, though they did not say who they belonged to. Wedding competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics but did not win a medal.
In a statement, Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection said the items were connected to a former foreign Olympic athlete linked to transnational organized crime. The release did not name Wedding, but described the suspect as being among the top 10 most wanted fugitives in the U.S. Multiple security agencies from different countries were involved in the investigation.
Wedding has been wanted since 2015, when Canadian police charged him with importing cocaine. He fled before he could be arrested. U.S. authorities allege he later built a large drug network in Mexico, trafficking billions of dollars’ worth of narcotics. Earlier this year, a key witness against him was killed, leading U.S. officials to add Wedding to their most wanted list and offer a $15-million reward.
Former law enforcement officials believe the seizures could help police track Wedding by identifying his associates and financial links. While the raids did not lead to his arrest, experts say they show growing cooperation between Mexican, U.S. and Canadian authorities and may weaken the protection Wedding is believed to have received from criminal groups.
