Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding is on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List” for his alleged links to the Sinaloa Cartel, with a $10 million reward for his capture. The Sinaloa Cartel, founded in the 1980s, controls much of the drug trade in Mexico, including significant fentanyl production and distribution in the United States. The cartel’s operations are associated with persistent violence and a brutal drug war, contributing to extensive loss of life.
Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has been placed on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List” due to his alleged connections with the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. Currently at large, Mr. Wedding has a reward of $10 million for information leading to his capture. He faces serious charges, including smuggling significant quantities of cocaine from Colombia via Mexico to the US and Canada, as well as multiple counts of murder linked to a mistaken identity incident in 2023.
The Sinaloa Cartel, established by Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in the late 1980s and notably led by El Chapo Guzman, is one of the oldest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. Guzman’s infamous escapes from incarceration and eventual capture in 2016 further solidified the cartel’s notoriety. Named after the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, this organization has historically provided substantial amounts of various narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana to the US market.
The cartel manages critical smuggling channels in Arizona and California, with numerous distribution hubs across US cities. It has also been implicated in operating fentanyl production facilities in Mexico. Research from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) indicates that the cartel controlled 40 to 60 percent of Mexico’s drug trade in the early 2010s, generating annual revenues of up to $3 billion. Recent indictments reveal the cartel’s involvement in using Bitcoin to launder approximately $869,000 between August 2022 and February 2023.
The Sinaloa Cartel is associated with an ongoing violent struggle in Mexico, contributing significantly to a prolonged drug war resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities. Key figures within the cartel include Ismael Zambada, a 76-year-old drug lord considered the last of the traditional Mexican drug capos. He has long been El Chapo’s associate and is alleged to oversee transportation operations while employing individuals to maintain security at drug storage facilities and organize hit squads to eliminate potential threats.
In summary, Ryan Wedding’s association with the Sinaloa Cartel highlights the ongoing dangers of international drug trafficking. The Sinaloa Cartel itself remains a dominant force in the drug trade, illustrating its historical roots and notorious operational tactics. With ongoing violence and substantial illegal revenue generation, the impact of such organizations extends beyond borders, marking a critical area of concern for law enforcement agencies globally.
Original Source: www.ndtv.com
