Alleged drug kingpin and ex-Olympian Ryan Marriage ceremony arrested

[ad_1] Watch: Ryan Marriage ceremony escorted by police in handcuffs after arrest

Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder and alleged drug kingpin Ryan Marriage ceremony has been arrested in Mexico and can be extradited to the US after years on the run, FBI Director Kash Patel has stated.

Marriage ceremony, who had been on the FBI's Ten Most Wished Fugitives listing, is accused of operating a transnational drug trafficking operation that moved tonnes of cocaine throughout worldwide borders.

Marriage ceremony, 44, was additionally needed on homicide prices. US officers had stated they believed Marriage ceremony was dwelling in Mexico beneath the Sinaloa drug cartel's safety.

The pinnacle of Canada's federal police drive, which assisted within the investigation, spoke alongside Patel on Friday to reward the regulation enforcement operation.

"No single company or nation can fight transnational organised crime alone," stated Mike Duheme, Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

"We are able to lastly say that our communities, our international locations, are a lot safer with the arrest of Ryan Marriage ceremony," he added.

Marriage ceremony is predicted to make his first court docket look in Los Angeles on Monday.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/9f01/live/e8897a90-f888-11f0-802d-45770cee28e3.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="FBI Wedding, seen in an undated photo released by the FBI" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> FBI Marriage ceremony, seen in an undated photograph launched by the FBI

Marriage ceremony is accused of operating an unlimited drug trafficking operation chargeable for importing some 60 metric tonnes of cocaine a 12 months.

The organisation operated throughout North America, in addition to a number of international locations in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was additionally the most important provider of cocaine to Canada, bringing in an estimated $1bn a 12 months.

Earlier than he was arrested, Marriage ceremony was accused of killing a federal witness in a case towards him. Officers say he has additionally ordered the murders of a number of others.

Marriage ceremony is now dealing with a slew of felony prices, together with witness tampering and intimidation, homicide, cash laundering and drug trafficking.

The FBI had beforehand positioned a $15m (£11m) reward for info resulting in his arrest. Patel declined to touch upon whether or not anybody can be claiming the reward cash.

US officers have launched restricted particulars relating to how Marriage ceremony was captured, besides to say that his arrest came about on Thursday evening in Mexico Metropolis.

Mexico's high safety official, Omar García Harfuch, stated in a submit on X that Patel had visited Mexico Metropolis on Thursday, and departed with two fugitives on the FBI's 10 Most Wished listing.

He didn't identify the boys arrested, however stated one was a "Canadian citizen who voluntarily surrendered" on the US embassy in Mexico.

Watch: FBI director calls Ryan Marriage ceremony "a modern-day Pablo Escobar"

The Related Press, citing an unnamed Mexican Safety Cupboard member, reported that Marriage ceremony is the Canadian who turned himself in on the US embassy.

In his remarks at a information convention, Patel described Marriage ceremony as a "modern-day Pablo Escobar", referring to the Colombian cartel chief. US officers have additionally in contrast him to Mexican drug supplier Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.

"Whenever you go after a man like Ryan Marriage ceremony, it takes a united entrance," Patel stated, thanking Canadian and Mexican authorities for his or her assist in the investigation.

Patel additionally thanked the FBI Hostage Rescue Staff, who participated in taking Marriage ceremony into custody.

In an interview with Vainness Truthful, Patel praised the group, which had additionally been concerned within the seize of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro weeks earlier.

"This was a posh, high-stakes operation with zero margin for error," Patel instructed the journal.

"I used to be on the bottom with our group in Mexico and witnessed extraordinary teamwork, precision, and belief between our brokers and companions in Mexico."

Marriage ceremony's aliases embrace "El Jefe," "Large," "Public Enemy," "James Conrad King," and "Jesse King", the FBI stated. He has reportedly had cosmetic surgery to vary his look whereas on the run.

Officers allege that he launched his legal enterprise following his launch from a US federal jail in 2011, the place he was serving a sentence for cocaine distribution.

Authorities allege he has ordered dozens of murders throughout the globe, together with within the US, Canada and Latin America.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/601f/live/3716a1d0-f869-11f0-9796-05e6aeca39b2.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Sign showing $15m reward for Ryan James Wedding" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Getty Pictures The FBI had provided a $15m reward for Ryan Marriage ceremony

Officers say he had been dwelling in luxurious in Mexico. In December, Mexican authorities introduced that that they had seized $40m in racing bikes owned by Marriage ceremony. Additionally they seized different invaluable objects, together with luxurious work, artworks, medication and two Olympic gold medals.

It's unclear to whom the medals belong. Marriage ceremony competed for Canada within the 2002 Olympic Video games in Salt Lake Metropolis, however didn't win any medals. He got here in twenty fourth place within the males's large parallel slalom ski occasion.

In November, the FBI seized his uncommon 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR, which had been valued at $13m.

Patel additionally spoke in regards to the latest arrest of one other man in Mexico who had been on the FBI's most needed listing.

American man Alejandro Castillo was needed for the homicide of his ex-girlfriend. In accordance with the FBI, he has been in hiding in Mexico for practically 10 years, and can now be extradited again to North Carolina for trial.