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

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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.

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Boxer Goran Gogić's 20 Ton Cocaine Trafficking Case Adjourned Due to Juror Bribery Attempt

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

The Brooklyn federal trial revolving around one of the biggest cocaine busts in US history will reconvene in 30 days, with an anonymous and partially sequestered jury, Judge Azrack ruled.

Three men were planning to give a juror $100,000 to persuade a juror to acquit a former boxer accused of trafficking massive amounts of cocaine, according to federal court documents. The 20-ton shipment of cocaine was seized by US Customs in 2019, the largest single seizure in the agency's history.

The New York City trial for former heavyweight Goran Gogić of Montenegro, who is charged with violating federal maritime drug law by smuggling cocaine on container ships, was scheduled to start Monday.

Gogic, of Montenegro, was set to stand trial for allegedly conspiring to smuggle 20 tons (18.1 metric tons) of cocaine to Europe from Colombia through U.S. ports using commercial cargo ships. Federal agents had arrested Gogic while he was boarding a flight from Miami to Zurich after traveling to Puerto Rico for a boxing convention.

He has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Instead, the court was adjourned and the jury was dismissed, according to court documents.

The judge presiding over the trial in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, Joan M. Azrack, scheduled a status hearing for Dec. 17, according to a court document filed Monday.

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Olympic Snowboarder, Nightclub Owner Among Those Charged with Trafficking Cocaine from Mexico to Canada

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

A manhunt is on for former Olympian Ryan James Wedding, 43, and the FBI is offering $50,000 for information leading to his arrest. His drug trafficking partner, Canadian Andrew Clark was arrested in Mexico on an Interpol warrant two weeks ago. Wedding is also believed to have been residing in Mexico and is considered armed and dangerous by US authorities.

As part of the takedown of the drug trafficking network, raids were conducted at a $15 million mansion in Miami, Florida, formerly owned by DJ Khaled and currently resided by Nahim Jorge Bonilla, a music business exec and co-owner of local nightclub and restaurant Mandrake. Bonilla was arrested at the mansion.

Wedding and Clark are also being charged with the mistaken identity murder of an Indian Sikh couple visiting their children in Canada and two other murders related to drug trafficking tons of cocaine from Mexico, into California and then placed on long haul trucks to Canada.

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Four Ecuadorian Men with 548 Kilos Cocaine Intercepted by Navy Off Coast of Chiapas

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

The Mexican Attorney Generals' office (FGR) has charged four Ecuadorian men with crimes against health after attempting to traffic 548 kilos and 467 grams of cocaine into Mexico, reveals a recent FGR press release.

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Ecuador National Police Seize 8.8 Tons of Cocaine in Port of Guayaquil

By "El Huaso" for Borderland Beat

The National Police force of Ecuador seized a massive cocaine shipment weighing 8.8 tons in a container of bananas at the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The seizure was announced as the largest bust far this year.

The shipment was destined for Belgium, which is characterized as the "the primary entry point for cocaine smuggled into Europe" according to the US State Department in 2020. The report identifies the Port of Antwerp as the main doorway into Europe, where criminal groups smuggle product from Latin America on container ships. In 2022, 110 tons of cocaine were seized at the Port of Antwerp, reported Belgian authorities.

Indeed, Kristian Vanderwaeren, Belgian customs official stated that 40% of the cocaine seized in Europe is found in Belgium.

Video: CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter

This seizure occurs while cocaine production in Latin America is at it's highest point ever, according to InSight Crime co-director Jeremy McDermott in a recent podcast.

Ecuador in particular is emerging as a key player in the cocaine market. In 2022, 201 tons of cocaine were seized in Ecuador, a 44% increase from 2021. 

According to an article by France24, Ecuador does not actually produce coca, the crop used to make cocaine, but has emerged as a major drug player because of it's shared borders with Peru and Colombia, two major cocaine producing nations. Both of these nations saw increases in the production and siezures of cocaine last year.

Brookings Institution expert Vanda Felbab-Brown wrote that both the CJNG and Sinaloa Cartel are involved in Ecuador, forging alliances with local gangs to facilitate the transportation of cocaine through the country on the way to ocean routes.

Sources: @CmdtPoliciaEc Twitter, State Department Drug Report - INCSR 2020, Milenio, France24, Brookings - Vanda Felbab-Brown, Americas Quarterly Podcast, Politico.eu

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