Canadian authorities have captured a man wanted by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation for his alleged involvement in a massive international drug trafficking organization led by former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding.
Key Arrest in Vancouver
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Rasheed Pascua Hossain, 33, in Vancouver following an international manhunt. The FBI's Los Angeles field office confirmed the capture in a social media announcement on Friday night.
Hossain faces serious charges in the United States, including cocaine trafficking and money laundering. American authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on October 28 as part of their investigation into what they describe as the Wedding Criminal Enterprise.
Operation Giant Slalom Unfolds
The investigation, codenamed Operation Giant Slalom, alleges that Ryan Wedding controls one of the world's most prolific drug trafficking networks. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated during a press conference that Wedding's organization has been responsible for moving approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine annually.
"He controls one of the most prolific and violent drug-trafficking organizations in this world," Bondi claimed at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. She further described the former Olympian as "the largest distributor of cocaine in Canada."
International Manhunt Continues
While Hossain remains in Canadian custody, the extradition process to face charges in the United States must now proceed through Canadian courts. Meanwhile, the FBI continues to search for other alleged members of Wedding's organization.
Authorities are still seeking Bianca Canastillo-Madrid, 37, of Mexico City, and Tommy Demorizi, 35, of Montreal, who they believe is currently a fugitive in the Dominican Republic.
The FBI recently increased the reward for information leading to Wedding's capture to $15 million. Additional rewards are being offered for information about unknown assassins who murdered a potential witness in Medellin, Colombia, last January.
Wedding, who competed for Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, now appears on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list. Authorities believe he is living in Mexico and working with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute Colombian cocaine in American and Canadian communities.
Growing List of Arrests
Hossain's arrest follows the recent capture of another alleged Wedding associate, Gursewak Singh Bal, 31, of Mississauga. Bal was arrested on Tuesday and accused of accepting payment to suppress coverage of Wedding on his website, The Dirty News, and instead sharing a photo of a witness to facilitate his murder.
The FBI has seized the website as part of their expanding investigation. Among other notable arrests is Deepak Balwant Paradkar, 62, of Thornhill, who U.S. authorities identify as Wedding's lawyer and allege recommended that the fugitive have the witness murdered.
Additional individuals currently in custody in connection with the investigation include suspects from Quebec, Alberta, Ontario, Florida, and Colombia, demonstrating the international scope of Wedding's alleged criminal network.
