Mexico City, Mexico — Mexican authorities have seized a sprawling cache of luxury motorcycles and high-value assets believed to be tied to fugitive former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, as international law enforcement intensifies efforts to dismantle what officials describe as a global drug trafficking empire.
The seizure, announced this week, followed coordinated raids across four properties in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, conducted with support from U.S., Canadian, and Mexican agencies. Officials say the haul included 62 luxury motorcycles valued at approximately $40 million, along with vehicles, artwork, narcotics, and two Olympic medals linked to Wedding’s former athletic career.
International Task Force Targets Wedding’s Assets
Authorities confirmed the operation involved cooperation between Mexican law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The seizures mark one of the largest asset recoveries connected to Wedding’s alleged trafficking network to date.
Earlier this month, U.S. officials also seized a rare $13 million Mercedes-Benz connected to the case and released images highlighting Wedding’s distinctive tattoos in hopes of generating public tips.
Wedding is currently listed among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, with U.S. authorities believing he remains in Mexico under cartel protection.
From Olympic Slopes to Global Trafficking
Wedding represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, a past that investigators say contrasts sharply with the criminal enterprise he is now accused of running.
According to federal prosecutors, Wedding allegedly oversaw the movement of roughly 60 metric tons of cocaine annually, smuggling the drugs from Colombia through Mexico and into the United States and Canada. Investigators say the operation is part of a multi-year probe known internally as Operation Giant Slalom.
Officials allege Wedding worked closely with the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.
Allegations of Violence and Witness Intimidation
Beyond trafficking charges, Wedding is also accused of ordering violent acts to protect his operation. U.S. authorities allege he was involved in ordering the murder of an FBI witness in Colombia earlier this year, an act prosecutors say was intended to disrupt the investigation into his network.
In a statement released by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, Assistant Director Akil Davis described Wedding as an escalating threat.
“Wedding went from shredding powder on the slopes at the Olympics to distributing powder cocaine on the streets of U.S. cities and in his native Canada,” Davis said.
Officials emphasized that allegations of targeted killings elevate the urgency of locating and arresting him.
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Manhunt Intensifies as Reward Grows
The U.S. Department of State is offering up to $15 million for information leading to Wedding’s arrest or conviction. Authorities warn that he may have significantly altered his appearance, including changing his hair or undergoing cosmetic procedures, to avoid detection.
Investigators believe the seizure of high-value assets may tighten financial pressure on Wedding and disrupt cartel-linked support networks believed to be shielding him.
A Symbolic Seizure in a Global Case
Mexican officials said the motorcycles — many of them rare, custom, and high-performance models — symbolized the extravagant lifestyle allegedly funded by international drug trafficking. The recovery of Olympic medals alongside narcotics and luxury items underscored what investigators described as Wedding’s dramatic transformation from elite athlete to alleged crime boss.
Authorities say the investigation remains active and additional seizures or arrests may follow as intelligence continues to develop.
Wedding is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, but officials stress that the case highlights the increasingly global reach of organized drug trafficking and the role of international cooperation in confronting it.
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