Mexican authorities have seized an estimated $40 million worth of high-end motorcycles believed to belong to Ryan James Wedding, a Canadian national and former Olympic athlete now listed among the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, U.S. officials said.
The seizure followed the execution of multiple search warrants earlier this month and was carried out in coordination with the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Los Angeles Police Department, according to an FBI Los Angeles statement posted on social media.
"This successful seizure is a result of collaborative efforts among Mexican authorities, the FBI, @RCMP and @LAPDHQ," the post reads.
"There is a reward up to $15 million USD for information leading to his [Wedding's] arrest and/or conviction. If you have any information concerning Wedding, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram at (424) 495-0614," the statement added.
Photographs released by the agency showed dozens of racing-style motorcycles, including MotoGP bikes typically used in elite professional competition and rarely owned outside top racing teams.
U.S. officials said the motorcycles were discovered at several properties in Mexico believed to be connected to Wedding and his alleged criminal organization.
Authorities described the collection as one of the most valuable single seizures of luxury motorcycles ever linked to an international narcotics investigation.
Wedding, 43, competed for Canada in snowboarding at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. Federal prosecutors now accuse him of leading a violent transnational drug trafficking organization with direct ties to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, one of the world's most powerful criminal syndicates.
A Justice Department indictment unsealed last month alleges Wedding oversaw the movement of massive quantities of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and the United States into Canada.
Prosecutors say he relied on established cartel routes and corrupt networks to move drugs while insulating himself through layers of intermediaries and front businesses.
The indictment further alleges Wedding directed acts of extreme violence to protect the operation, including ordering the murder of a cooperating witness in Colombia.
U.S. officials say that killing was intended to intimidate others and prevent further cooperation with law enforcement.
Authorities said the latest seizure underscores both the enormous profits generated by international narcotics trafficking and the importance of asset forfeiture in dismantling criminal enterprises.
In addition to the motorcycles, Mexican authorities recovered artwork, ammunition, drugs, documents, and what were described as two Olympic medals, according to Canadian media reports citing officials involved in the raids.
The investigation has already led to other high-profile seizures.
Earlier this year, authorities linked to the case confiscated a rare Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster valued at about $13 million. Only six versions of the supercar were ever produced, making it one of the rarest street-legal vehicles in the world.
The FBI says Wedding is known to use several aliases, including El Jefe, Public Enemy, and Giant. Investigators believe he may be armed and dangerous and is currently living somewhere in Mexico, though his exact whereabouts remain unknown.
U.S. authorities have offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Wedding's arrest or conviction, one of the largest rewards currently available for an international fugitive.
The FBI said tips can be submitted through local FBI field offices, U.S. embassies or consulates, or through the bureau's online tip system as the international manhunt continues.
Officials emphasized that the seizure does not mark the end of the investigation and said additional arrests and forfeitures are expected as authorities continue working to dismantle the organization.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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