Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding and 15 others are facing criminal charges for allegedly running a drug-trafficking operation that shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Canada, with the use of violence, including murder, to achieve the group’s goals. Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, is the lead defendant and is currently on the run. Andrew Clark, another Canadian citizen living in Mexico, was arrested in connection with the case.
The group is accused of directing the murders of two family members in Ontario in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. The Ontario Provincial Police also released a statement connecting two individuals to a double homicide in the Town of Caledon, suggesting that Wedding and Clark may have been involved. Police are still searching for the perpetrators of the killings, and believe that the family was mistakenly targeted in the incident.
Wedding and Clark are charged with multiple felonies, including murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise. The drug-trafficking operation allegedly conspired to ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Southern California to Canada between January and August of a given year. The cocaine was transported from Mexico to the Los Angeles area, stored in stash houses, and then delivered to couriers for transportation to Canada using long-haul semi-trucks.
Two Ontario men, Hardeep Ratte and Gurpreet Singh, were allegedly in charge of the transportation of the cocaine. Law enforcement officials seized approximately 1,800 kilograms of cocaine, along with cash and cryptocurrency during the investigation. Some of the charged individuals are expected to appear in court in Los Angeles, Michigan, and Miami in the coming weeks in connection with the case.
The drug-trafficking operation involved a complex investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions and agencies, impacting innocent civilians in Ontario. In addition to the murders in Ontario, Wedding and Clark also allegedly ordered the murder of another victim in Ontario over a drug debt. The case highlights the connections between the drug trade, violence, and organized crime activities that had a global reach, involving individuals with significant roles across different locations.
The charges against Wedding and others illustrate the complexities of transnational organized crime and the lengths to which individuals involved in such activities are willing to go to further their illegal operations. The involvement of a former Olympic athlete in such criminal activities serves as a reminder of the reach of organized crime and the need for continued vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies across international borders.
