Mexican Police Seize $40mln Motorcycle Collection Linked to Former Olympian Drug Kingpin
Authorities said 62 high-end motorcycles, including multiple Ducatis, were confiscated alongside two vehicles, artwork and a pair of Olympic medals during December operations targeting four locations. Images released by the FBI’s Los Angeles division showed rows of premium bikes stored inside a warehouse.
Ryan Wedding, who represented Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Olympics, is accused by US authorities of running one of the most powerful cocaine trafficking networks supplying Canada. The US Department of Justice claims Wedding oversaw the movement of up to 60,000kg of cocaine annually, working with Mexican cartels and Colombian criminal groups.
The 44-year-old, who carries a $15mln (£11mln) bounty, is believed to be hiding in Mexico under the protection of the Sinaloa Cartel. He has also been accused of ordering the assassination of a US federal witness, who prosecutors say was shot dead in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025.
According to a US indictment, cocaine linked to Wedding’s organisation was sourced in Colombia, moved through Mexico and the United States, and then distributed into Canada, with cities such as Los Angeles acting as storage hubs.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wedding controlled «one of the most prolific and violent drug trafficking organisations in the world», adding that authorities would continue efforts to dismantle the network and bring him to justice.
