Blog dedicated to reporting on Mexican drug cartels
on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Operation Hard Ball Raids Target Indian Bishnoi Gang Members and Traffickers in California and Canada

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Los Angeles federal agents led a global operation targeting of the India-based Bishnoi Gang, known for extortion, drug trafficking and the assassination of Indian political figures, industrialists, actors and musicians in the US, Canada and India.

The raids Tuesday that saw the arrest of at least 11 California and over a dozen more across the US, Canada and Europe.

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Corrupt Toronto Police Scandal, Shootings & Local Gang War Linked to Ryan Wedding Case

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


New court documents detail a link between allegations of corruption inside the Toronto Police Service and the cross-continent drug network of ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding.

Canadian court documents detailed not only how investigators believed that suspected Wedding drug trafficker Gurpreet Singh allegedly directed an attempted murder plot against a Toronto jail official, but also how he was allegedly assisted by a supervisor at the jail with whom police say he had had a prior romantic relationship with.

The allegations are contained in a document known as an “information-to-obtain” or ITO, filed in court in January by police as part of an application to conduct the sweeping raids related to the Project South investigation.

Monday, March 23, 2026

Iranian Hacking Group Threatens Former Canadian Politician with CJNG Beheading

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


A pro-Islamic regime hacker group that sent death threats to former Ontario MPP Goldie Ghamari earlier this month was named as one of four Iranian intelligence operations shut down by the U.S. government. One of their threats stated that a bounty of $250,000 was placed on her head and information on her and another's location in the US was provided to members of CJNG.

The FBI announced it took down four websites facilitating Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) hacking efforts. The DOJ says these efforts were tied to “psychological operations and transnational repression."

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Canadian Trafficker Sebastian "Stix" Rollin Extradited to US, Ran Montreal Drug Labs, Tied to Brothers Keeper Gang

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


A 49-year-old Quebec man has been extradited to the United States to face charges of importing opioids into the US and money laundering. He had been arrested in Spain on February 20, 2026.

According to the indictment, authorities allege Sebastien "Stix" Rollin, who lived in Montreal at the time, arranged the sale of synthetic opioid pills containing protonitazene disguised as oxycodone, to a Tampa, Florida based undercover police officer.

Rollin allegedly claimed to be selling oxycodone, when in fact it was protonitazene, a powerful opioid considered to be three times more potent than fentanyl. Rollin is also tied to a large scale undercover DEA operation against Opinder "Thanos" Singh Sian for importing drugs into the United States and Australia.

Saturday, February 28, 2026

Ryan James Wedding's Early Sinaloa Cartel Links Part 2: Operation Harrington, Catboy & Russian Mike

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


A 2015 Canadian indictment charged the former Olympic snowboarder as part of Operation Harrington. The RCMP believed at the time he had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and Iranian-linked money launderers, via his now ex-wife. Wedding fled to Mexico in 2015 to avoid the charges that were the result of a lengthy undercover operation targeting several Canadian traffickers.

While the 2015 Canadian indictment focused primarily on Canadian based traffickers, it would take another 4 years until the full extent of their connections to the Sinaloa Cartel would be revealed by Colombian trafficker-turned witness Alex Cifuentes-Villa during his testimony at the 2019 trial of "El Chapo," and the sentencing memo of a Canadian trafficker known as "Russian Mike" the same year.

Part 1 of Ryan James Wedding's Early Cartel Links can be read here

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Canadian Authorities Target Hells Angels Quebec South Chapter as Price of Cocaine in Canada Doubles

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


The price of a kilo of cocaine in Montreal has practically doubled since the recent high profile arrests of Canadian drug trafficker Ryan Wedding and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

A kilo of cocaine currently sells for $35,000 CAD for traffickers who supply the drug market in the Metropolis and elsewhere in Quebec, compared to $18,500 CAD just two months ago, according to sources interviewed by Le Journal de Montreal's investigative team.

In May 2024, the price of a kilo of cocaine in Canada had then fallen to a record low of $18,500 CAD. And that was reportedly the price still being sold in December 2025.

Earlier this month, approximately twenty locations across Quebec and New Brunswick were targeted for searches conducted by the National Organized Crime Enforcement Squad (ENRCO).

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Ryan James Wedding's Early Cartel Links Part 1: BC Bud Farm & California Cocaine Bust

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Wedding made his court appearance in Santa Ana, California last week following his surrender and arrest in Mexico. He pleaded not guilty to charges across two indictments.

His lawyer, Anthony Colombo, Jr. grandson of slain New York Mafia boss Joe Colombo, stated multiple times that his client had in fact not surrendered but was apprehended in Mexico. This statement was of course contradictory to both the official Mexican and US Ambassador to Mexico's claim that he voluntary surrendered.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum went so far as to cite an AI generated image from a fake Instagram account as proof that Wedding had surrendered and was not arrested by Mexican authorities. 

According to CBC News, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme was informed 3 days before Wedding's arrest and was told to fly to Ontario, California for the FBI's press conference. 

Similar statements from US authorities point to a planned surrender as well. Court records show that 2 days prior to Wedding's surrender, additional documents were filed under seal.

Friday, January 23, 2026

FBI's Most Wanted Trafficker Ryan James Wedding Surrenders in Mexico

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


The story of an Olympic snowboarder who then ventured into a 20 year career in trafficking first marijuana, then dozens of tons of cocaine across two borders, ended at the US Embassy in Mexico City last night.

FBI's most wanted trafficker, Ryan James Wedding surrendered himself at the Embassy. He had been wanted for trafficking and ordering multiple murders including that of his longtime partner who became an FBI informant.

Update: On Monday January 26, 2026, Wedding pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and trafficking at a Santa Ana, CA courtroom. His lawyer Anthony Colombo, who has represented several cartel figures in the past, reported to the media that his client had in fact not surrendered, contradicting Mexican and US official statements.

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Quebec Trafficker Jonathan "Rambo" Bouchard Killed in Puerto Vallarta...After Leaving a Gym

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Jonathan “Rambo” Bouchard, a 32-year-old who was well known to police in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, was found dead on the morning of January 6, 2026 in the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. 

One or more gunmen fired at him repeatedly, hitting him twice in the head after he left a gym on Jamaica St. 

His murder is believed to part of the Quebec turf wars that has been ongoing for several years. The turf war, as it has extended into other countries, has been coined a 'Royalty War' by Montreal news outlets as the killings seem to be over royalties being paid for drug shipments.

Saturday, December 27, 2025

FBI's Most Wanted Trafficker Ryan James Wedding Part 4: Mexico City Raids Yield 62 Motorcycles, Art and Two Canadian Medals

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


As part of a joint agency and international operation, Mexico's FGR, SSPC, GN, SEMAR and the Army carried out four raids on homes and properties in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, related to "a former Olympic athlete and one of the 10 most wanted fugitives by U.S. authorities."

Doses of methamphetamine and marijuana, 62 high-end motorcycles, two vehicles, works of art, two medals, ammunition and various documents were found.

The two medals, intially reported as Olympic medals are a pair of CF Canadian Snowboarding Series medals. Wedding later placed 24th in men’s snowboarding giant parallel slalom during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

FBI's Most Wanted Trafficker Ryan Wedding Part 3: 'Cocaine Lawyer' Deepak Paradkar Arrested

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
From a Globe & Mail Article


According to the evidence filed in court, the Wedding organization relied on the services of a particularly motivated corrupt lawyer, whose role was of great importance.

This Ontario lawyer, Deepak Paradkar, worked directly under Ryan Wedding and was responsible for investigating drivers and circumstances in cases where their cocaine shipments were seized by authorities, procuring new transportation routes for Wedding, and paying lawyers in Canada and the United States to find out if any traffickers in the organization arrested by police were cooperating with authorities.

Sunday, November 23, 2025

FBI's Most Wanted Trafficker Ryan James Wedding Part 2: Canadian Gang Leader, Lawyer & Blogger Arrested in Killing of FBI Informant

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


In new indictments announced, Wedding is accused of ordering the murder of a federal witness. “The witness was gunned down at a restaurant in Medellín before he could testify against Wedding,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi said.

According to the new indictment, Wedding had the help of accomplices in several countries, including a woman in Colombia who claimed to have contacts within the cartels and authorities capable of tracking cell phones. 

Another accomplice was a woman whose mission was to lure the victim to a specific location. In exchange, Wedding's money launderers paid for her mortgage and for cosmetic surgery.

Friday, November 21, 2025

FBI's Most Wanted Trafficker Ryan James Wedding Part 1: Global Network Sanctioned by the US

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


The US has raised the reward for Canadian alleged narcotics trafficker Ryan James Wedding to $15 million, with additional $2 million rewards offered for information leading to the arrests of the unknown assassins who murdered a FBI witness last January in Medellín, Colombia.

FBI Director Kash Patel claims, "He's the Pablo Escobar of modern times."
   
Wedding, who is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is a snowboarder who represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. After his snowboarding career, Wedding turned to a life of crime as a transnational narcotics trafficker.

Monday, September 8, 2025

Fugitive Canadian Wolfpack Leader Robby Alkhalil Arrested in Qatar

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
From a Vancouver Sun Article


More than three years after he escaped from a Port Coquitlam jail, fugitive gang killer Rabih "Robby" Alkhalil has been arrested in Qatar.

Several sources confirmed Saturday that the wanted Wolfpack gangster had been picked up by local authorities on Friday. The RCMP declined to comment. But a news conference is scheduled at the RCMP’s Surrey headquarters on Monday afternoon.

A $250,000 reward for information leading to Alkhalil’s arrest was initially offered by the BOLO program and Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers, over the years it was reduced to $50,000 and was due to expire Oct. 7.

According to an undercover informant, Rabih Alkhalil was responsible for cocaine imports with in the Wolfpack group. An alliance of street gang members and Hells Angels traffickers. Alkhalil's nicknames within the organization were Honda and Lambo (for Lamborghini).

Monday, July 21, 2025

Undercover DEA Operation Takes Down Canadian Brothers Keeper Gang Leader Linked to Sinaloa & Kinahan Cartels

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


DEA announced it has largely dismantled a Canada based international drug cartel and arrested a notorious Indo-Canadian gangster, Opinder Singh Sian, better known as "Thanos," for running a global fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking ring from British Columbia, Canada.

Sian was arrested in Arizona on June 27 after his role in smuggling methamphetamine to Australia and chemicals for fentanyl production into the US via Canada. Much of the case focuses on methamphetamine shipments from Los Angeles to Australia, orchestrated by Sian, who acted as a proxy for transnational Mexican, Chinese, and Iranian networks, experts say.

The investigation which began in 2022, has revealed that Sian had operational ties with chemical suppliers linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Montreal Mafia & Hells Angels Figures Arrested as Part of Large Takedown Linked to Cooperating Hitman

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat
Translated from a La Presse Article


Three years, almost to the day, after former organized crime hitman Frédérick Silva turned his back on the Mafia and began cooperating with Canadian authorities, they have been making their first arrests early Thursday morning targeting the leaders of the Sicilian clan of the Montreal Mafia as well as Hells Angels and gang members.

Silva, who will receive a record sum of over $3 million dollars in exchange for his confessions and testimony, as we first revealed last winter, would allow them to solve some 60 murder plots over a period of more than two decades in Quebec organized crime.

"This is one of the hardest blows to organized crime," said Benoit Dubé, Deputy Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Sûreté du Québec, at a press conference Thursday morning announcing the operation dubbed Project Alliance.

Monday, April 28, 2025

Montreal Mafia and Hells Angels Reach Peace Agreement After Years Long War in Canada

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From a La Presse Article


Opposed in a bloody conflict not so long ago, the Sicilian clan of the Montreal Mafia and a group of Montreal Hells Angels led by Martin Robert have reportedly decided to make peace in recent months, in the face of the rise of emerging groups that threaten their hegemony.

"Currently, we see that there is indeed a potential truce between certain criminal groups, including the Hells Angels and the Italian mafia," says Francis Renaud, commander of the Organized Crime Division (Antigang) of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM).

In 2023, Montreal Hells Angels and the Rizzuto clan clashed over control of illegal sports betting, better known as "The Book," according to a police theory.

Friday, March 28, 2025

Canada’s Most Wanted Fugitive, Blood Family Mafia Gang Leader Dave ‘Pik’ Turmel Arrested in Italy

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Canada's most wanted fugitive, Dave "Pik" Turmel, has been arrested in Italy, according to Italian police sources.

The 28-year-old, who had been on the run for over a year, is believed to be the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM).

The notorious street gang is involved in brutal turf wars with the Hells Angels in Quebec during which victims have been tortured and have had their limbs amputated.

In a news release issued Friday in response to CBC News inquiries, Rome District Police announced they arrested the head of "a notorious criminal organization." Turmel was not named in the release, but in a call with CBC News, police confirmed the individual arrested was indeed Turmel.

Monday, March 10, 2025

"Give Me the Easiest One First." A Young US-Canadian Hitman Received "Military Training" in Mexico to Do Wedding's Dirty Work

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


A small-time Toronto criminal was recruited by cartel figures, flown to Mexico for “military training,” and then sent to target a hit list of enemies of a cross-border drug ring led by a fugitive ex-Olympic snowboarder, a new set of FBI documents claim.

According to authorities, it "all came to light by chance when a local Ontario police force conducted a traffic stop and seized a single white iPhone."

The documents, being presented in a Toronto court, offer the clearest picture yet of the U.S. investigation into a murderous drug-trafficking organization allegedly run by former Canadian Olympian Ryan James Wedding and his second-in-command, Andrew Clark who is now in U.S. custody following his recent arrest in Mexico and extradition.

Olympic Snowboarder Ryan James Wedding Added to FBI 10 Most Wanted List with $10 Million Reward After Key FBI Informant Killed

 "Socalj" for Borderland Beat


The United States Department of State's Narcotics Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ryan James Wedding.

Ryan James Wedding is wanted for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada, and other locations in the United States.

The decision for the US to increase the reward from the FBI's initial $50,000 reward comes just days after one of Wedding’s right-hand men was linked to the Kinahan Cartel in documents filed by US attorneys in a Canadian court. 

Also revealed in Canada was that Wedding helped negotiate the release of a fellow Canadian trafficker who owed a drug debt to the Sinaloa Cartel and that a key FBI informant and likely the witness to testify against Wedding was killed in Colombia at the end of January.