WASHINGTON —The U.S. has raised the reward for Canadian alleged narcotics trafficker Ryan Wedding to $15 million, with additional rewards offered for information leading to the arrests of unknown assassins who murdered a potential witness last January in Medellín, Colombia.
As The Trucker previously reported, Wedding, who is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is a snowboarder who represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. After his snowboarding career, Wedding turned to a life of crime as a transnational narcotics trafficker. He is also known as “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King” and “Jesse King.”
Latest Case Developments
In a press conference at the Department of Justice, officials from the U.S. and Canada described Wedding as a narco-trafficker on par with notorious drug lords like Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Pablo Escobar. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wedding’s operation was responsible for more than $1 billion a year in illegal drug proceeds.
“He controls one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in this world,” Bondi said, adding that under Wedding’s direction his operation has trafficked 60 metric tons of cocaine per year. “He is the largest distributor of cocaine in Canada.”
Officials said Wedding is believed to live in Mexico. They said the 44-year-old works with the Sinaloa Cartel there to flood U.S. and Canadian communities with cocaine from Colombia and that the cartel is protecting him.
In new indictments, Wedding is accused of ordering the murder of a federal witness—who was executed with five bullets to the head earlier this year—before he could testify against Wedding. Among seven subjects arrested in Canada was Wedding’s attorney, Deepak Paradkar, who allegedly recommended to Wedding that he have the witness murdered.
Big Rigs Used in Smuggling Narcotics
As part of the smuggling operation, Wedding allegedly used big rigs for runs through multiple countries.
The Department of Justice and FBI are working closely with the State and Treasury departments, as well as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs offered the increased reward under its Narcotics Rewards Program. Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Wedding and others closely associated with him, effectively cutting them off from their financial accounts in the U.S.
“Today’s announcement is a culmination of the steadfast work of the FBI and our partners around the world to identify and dismantle violent gang and drug organizations,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Wedding’s “criminal activities and violent actions will not be tolerated, and this is a clear signal that the FBI will use our resources and expertise to find Ryan Wedding and bring him and his associates to justice.”
Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said Wedding—at 6 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing about 240 pounds—should stand out in Mexico. Davis said Wedding may change his appearance and hair color and should not be approached because he is dangerous.
“We will find him, and we will bring him to justice,” Davis said.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
Help needed to clear up information in the FMCSAADCH. There are Truck Drivers who are ending up in the FMCSAADCH. No Drug use whatsoever.