Former Canadian skier and alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding has been arrested in Mexico and will be extradited to the United States after years on the run, FBI Director Kash Patel said.
Wedding, who was once on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, was accused of running a transnational drug trafficking operation that transported tons of cocaine across borders.
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Vidhi, 44, is also wanted for murder. U.S. officials have said they believe Wedding was living in Mexico and being protected by the Sinaloa drug cartel.
The head of the Canadian federal police force assisting the investigation spoke alongside Patel on Friday and praised the law enforcement action.
“No one agency or country can combat transnational organized crime alone,” said Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Mike Duheme.
“We can finally say that with the arrest of Ryan Wedding, our community, our country, is a safer place,” he added.
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Vidin is expected to make his first court appearance in Los Angeles on Monday.
wedding, see an undated photo released by the FBI [FBI]
Wedding is accused of running a large-scale drug trafficking operation, importing approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine each year.
The organization operates in countries across North America and Latin America and the Caribbean and is Canada’s largest supplier of cocaine, with annual revenue estimated at $1 billion.
Before his arrest, Wedding was accused of killing a federal witness in the case against him. Officials said he also ordered the murders of several others.
Weddings now faces a slew of felony charges, including witness tampering and intimidation, murder, money laundering and drug trafficking.
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The FBI had previously offered a $15m (£11m) reward for information leading to his arrest. Patel declined to comment on whether anyone would receive the bonus.
U.S. officials have released limited details about how Wedding was captured, saying only that he was arrested Thursday night in Mexico City.
Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s top security official, posted on X that Patel visited Mexico City on Thursday and left with two fugitives on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.
He did not name the men arrested but said one was a “Canadian citizen who voluntarily surrendered” at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.
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The Associated Press quoted an unnamed Mexican security cabinet member as saying that Wedding was the Canadian who surrendered at the U.S. Embassy.
Speaking at a news conference, Patel described Wedding as a “modern-day Pablo Escobar,” referring to the Colombian drug cartel leader. U.S. officials have also compared him to Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
“When you go after someone like Ryan Wedding, you need a united front,” said Patel, who thanked Canadian and Mexican authorities for their help in the investigation.
Patel also thanked the FBI hostage rescue team involved in taking Wedding into custody.
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In an interview with Vanity Fair, Patel praised the team, which was also involved in the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a few weeks ago.
“This was a complex, high-risk operation with zero margin for error,” Patel told the magazine.
“I was on site with our team in Mexico and witnessed firsthand the extraordinary teamwork, precision and trust among our agents and partners in Mexico.”
Wedding’s aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant,” “Public Enemy,” “James Conrad King” and “Jesse King,” the FBI said. He reportedly underwent plastic surgery to change his appearance while on the run.
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Officials said he began his criminal career in 2011 after being released from a U.S. federal prison where he was serving time for distributing cocaine.
Authorities say he ordered dozens of murders around the world, including in the United States, Canada and Latin America.
FBI offers $15 million reward for Ryan’s wedding [Getty Images]
Officials said he had been living a lavish lifestyle in Mexico. In December, Mexican authorities announced they had seized a $40 million racing motorcycle owned by Wedding. They also confiscated other valuables including luxury paintings, artwork, drugs and two Olympic gold medals.
It is unclear who the medals belong to. Vidin represented Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics but did not win any medals. He finished 24th in the men’s ski giant slalom.
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In November, the FBI seized his rare 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR, worth $13 million.
Patel also spoke about the recent arrest in Mexico of another man who was on the FBI’s most wanted list.
American man Alejandro Castillo is wanted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. According to the FBI, he has been hiding in Mexico for nearly 10 years and will be extradited back to North Carolina to face trial.