An informant from the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico alleges that the U.S. is sensationalizing Ryan Wedding’s persona to orchestrate a significant news event upon his eventual capture. The cartel member mentioned in an interview with CBC News that despite the cartel’s long-standing involvement with Canadian drug clients, Wedding’s name only recently surfaced in media and online platforms.
Describing the current hype around Wedding as the “new Chapo,” in reference to Joaquín (El Chapo) Guzmán Loera, a former Sinaloa cartel leader, the operative criticized the media for exaggerating Wedding’s significance to divert attention towards him. He insinuated that authorities might know Wedding’s whereabouts but are prolonging the situation for dramatic effect.
The U.S. Justice Department asserts that Wedding, aged 44, resides in Mexico under the shield of the Sinaloa cartel, a prominent international criminal organization. FBI director Kash Patel has equated Wedding to the new El Chapo, highlighting Wedding’s alleged involvement in trafficking large quantities of cocaine from Mexico to the U.S. and Canada.
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Ontario trucker sentenced to more than 6 years for cocaine smuggling linked to Ryan Wedding
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What we know about Ryan Wedding’s alleged Canadian associates
A $15 million reward is being offered by the U.S. State Department for Wedding’s capture as he has been a fugitive since 2015. The FBI recently added Wedding, a former Canadian Olympian snowboarder, to its top 10 most-wanted list.
Investigation Details
CBC News conducted an interview with a cartel member allegedly assisting Wedding in evading capture. For security reasons, the informant’s identity and faction affiliation remain undisclosed. The interview, facilitated by independent journalist Miguel Angel Vega in Culiacán, a city in northwestern Mexico, sheds light on Wedding’s elusive status.
Culiacán, recognized as the heart of the Sinaloa cartel, has become a battleground between warring cartel factions following the extradition of El Chapo’s son, Joaquín Guzmán López, to the U.S. in July 2024. The ongoing conflict has resulted in numerous casualties, disappearances, and the displacement of families across the region.
The cartel member, who claims to provide “security” for his faction, hinted at the complexity of Wedding’s alleged drug operations, emphasizing the need for substantial local support