National

Former Canadian Olympic athlete wanted in U.S. for murder, drug charges

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Oct, 2024 01:17 PM

American authorities say a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder is wanted in the U.S. on multiple charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a transnational drug trafficking ring and several murders in Ontario.

Ryan James Wedding is one of 16 defendants named in an indictment filed in California, which details an operation that allegedly moved large shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to Canada and other locations in the United States.

U.S. authorities say the 43-year-old Wedding, who was living in Mexico, is considered a fugitive.

Wedding was a snowboarder who competed for Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

The FBI is offering a US$50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and extradition to the U.S.

The indictment also names several other people from Canada who allegedly took part in the criminal operation.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Tentative deal ends job action by teaching support staff at Simon Fraser University

Nearly 1,600 members launched job action on Sept. 26 after being without a collective agreement for 19 months, forcing the cancellation of tutorials, labs, lectures, office hours and the marking of assignments. Key issues included wages, class size and pensions for instructors.

Tentative deal ends job action by teaching support staff at Simon Fraser University

Overdose homicide in Nanaimo

Mounties in Nanaimo say they're investigating the fatal drug overdose of a woman back in March that they now believe was a homicide. The Nanaimo R-C-M-P says its serious crime unit is looking into the death of 52-year-old Wendy Head, who was found dead at a home in the city on March 7th.

Overdose homicide in Nanaimo

Escalating theft and violence aside, London Drugs not considering closures: president

London Drugs president Clint Mahlman says the company has no plans to close stores due to escalating violence and theft, though the issue has reached a "crisis point" for Canadian retailers. Mahlman says the company was disappointed to learn that a Vancouver city councillor said on social media that London Drugs was considering closing one of its main stores in the city, at the intersection of Granville and Georgia streets, due to crime.

Escalating theft and violence aside, London Drugs not considering closures: president

Funding for BC hospitals

Hospitals in Merrit, Oliver and Salmon Arm will get 7.5-million-dollars in permanent funding from the province to help stabilize physician emergency-room coverage. Health Minister Adrian Dix says challenges like worker recruitment and retention and the ongoing toxic-drug crisis are more prominent in rural and remote communities.

Funding for BC hospitals

IHIT officer testifies to executing DNA warrant of man accused in B.C. murder trial

Sgt-Maj. Heather Lew told a B.C. Supreme Court murder trial that she collected a few drops of blood from Ibrahim Ali's finger on Sept. 9, 2018, two days after his arrest and almost 14 months after the girl's body was found. Ali has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of the teen.

IHIT officer testifies to executing DNA warrant of man accused in B.C. murder trial

Hamas's attack on Israel: Two victims with Canadian ties laid to rest

Two victims with ties to Canada who were killed in Hamas's attacks on Israel were remembered fondly by relatives on Wednesday, who called for the world to recognize the brutality of what happened. Tiferet Lapidot, 22, was formally identified by authorities on Monday, more than a week after she died at a music festival near the Gaza Strip border, where Hamas's attack began on Oct. 7. Her family had thought she was among those being held hostage.