Ryan James Wedding, Ex-Olympic Snowboarder, Wanted in U.S. for Drug Trafficking and Double Homicide
Former Canadian Olympian Ryan James Wedding, who competed in the 2002 Winter Games, is now facing charges for leading a transnational drug trafficking ring that allegedly smuggled massive amounts of cocaine and orchestrated several murders. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Wedding, along with 15 others, has been implicated in a high-stakes operation that transported hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Canada.
Cocaine Smuggling Operation Spanning North America
Wedding, 43, who had been living in Mexico, is accused of being the mastermind behind a criminal enterprise that moved around 60 tons of cocaine annually across the Americas. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada revealed the organization’s violent methods, including contracting killings of anyone who posed a threat to the operation. Among the victims were two innocent civilians in Caledon, Ontario, who were mistakenly targeted in November 2023 as part of a retaliation for a stolen drug shipment.
Double Homicide and Connection to Ontario Murders
Authorities believe that Wedding’s organization was responsible for the murders of Jagtar and Harbhajan Sidhu, a visiting couple from India, in connection to a drug-related dispute. Their daughter, Jaspreet Kaur Sidhu, was also gravely injured in the attack. Wedding and his accomplices are additionally linked to another murder in Ontario in May 2024 over a drug debt, with the investigation ongoing.
International Manhunt and Reward for Wedding’s Capture
Wedding remains at large, with the FBI offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest. Andrew Clark, another Canadian involved in the operation, was recently apprehended, while law enforcement continues to pursue the remaining suspects across North America.
Source: Swifteradio.com
