An operative for the infamous Sinaloa cartel has suggested that U.S. authorities are exaggerating the reputation of Ryan Wedding, portraying him as a notorious cocaine kingpin in anticipation of his eventual arrest. The claim was made during an exclusive interview with CBC News held in a clandestine location in northwestern Mexico.

The cartel member, who opted to remain anonymous, expressed skepticism about the media’s portrayal of Wedding. Despite the Sinaloa cartel’s long-standing history of narcotic transactions with Canadian clients over the past two decades, the operative mentioned that Wedding’s name only recently came to his attention.

“Recently, his name has become viral,” the operative commented, comparing the hype to that of the notorious Joaquin Guzman Loera, better known as “El Chapo,” the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. “They’re blowing up the news and focusing all attention on him. It seems like they might know his whereabouts and are just waiting to make it a massive news event.”

Ryan Wedding, whose past includes representing Canada as a snowboarder in the 2002 Winter Olympics, faces allegations of running a billion-dollar drug trafficking network and being involved in multiple murders. Since October 2024, he has been on the FBI’s radar and was recently added to their Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in March. The authorities have set a $15 million bounty for information leading to his capture.

Wedding, a former snowboarder who represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics, is accused of leading a billion-dollar drug-smuggling operation and orchestrating several murders.

He has been wanted by the FBI since October 2024 and, in March, was added to the list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. There is a $15million reward for his arrest.

A hitman for the Sinaloa cartel has claimed the US is ‘inflating’ Ryan Wedding’s image 

The ex-Olympic snowboarder, who is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is accused of leading a billion-dollar drug-smuggling operation and orchestrating several murders

The 44-year-old remains at large despite being hit with new charges of witness tampering and intimidation, murder, money laundering and drug trafficking last month.

According to CBC, law enforcement believes the unnamed Sinaloa operative is one of many cartel members protecting Wedding, who allegedly runs an organization that has moved many tonnes of cocaine from Mexico into the US and Canada.

But he added: ‘I don’t think the Sinaloa cartel could be protecting him right now because the cartel is going through circumstances that could lead to its collapse.’

The operative told CBC that he provides ‘security’ for his faction before admitting it makes him ‘more or less’ a hitman for the cartel.

In a recent press conference, US Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed that Wedding heads an organization that has moved 60 tonnes of cocaine from Mexico into Los Angeles in the space of a single year.

‘Personally, I think it’s too large of a job for a Canadian,’ the anonymous hitman argued.

Earlier this month, the FBI released a new photo of Wedding in its latest bid to track down the Olympian-turned-fugitive drug lord.

In what appears to be a selfie, he can be seen lounging shirtless on a bed with a large tattoo of a lion on the left side of his chest.

Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City (pictured)

The FBI claims there is ‘some evidence’ he has undergone surgery to change his appearance 

FBI boss Kash Patel (center) and US attorney general Pam Bondi (right) announced new charged against Wedding last month

The picture is significant because Wedding’s appearance seems to change frequently. Other highly circulated pictures show him with long hair and a beard, and short hair with a mustache or no facial hair.

In August, the FBI said there is ‘some evidence’ he had recently undergone cosmetic surgery to alter his appearance and further evade detection.

Weeks before the new photo was released, the FBI’s manhunt for Wedding took another twist when one of his former accomplices was arrested.

Canadian police detained Rasheed Pascua Hossain, a 32-year-old man from Vancouver who also went by the alias ‘JP Morgan’. He faces US charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine; conspiracy to export cocaine; and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

According to the criminal indictment, Hossain ‘managed and laundered the Wedding Criminal Enterprise’s drug proceeds.’ An arrest warrant was issued for Hossain last month and now he has been captured.