Ontario native and alleged cocaine kingpin Ryan Wedding played no role in the Mexican operation that killed cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, his lawyer maintains. Speculation arose online due to the timing: Mexican forces eliminated the drug lord exactly one month after authorities detained Wedding in Mexico and transferred him to U.S. custody.
“There is zero connection between Mr. Wedding and the action,” Anthony Colombo, Wedding’s California-based attorney, stated.
Details of the Mexican Operation
Mexican officials tracked Oseguera based on a tip from an associate of one of his romantic partners, supported by U.S. intelligence. Both Wedding and Oseguera ranked as top targets, with U.S. rewards of $15 million each for tips leading to their capture.
Wedding’s Background and Charges
The 44-year-old former Olympic snowboarder from Thunder Bay, Ontario, oversaw a violent smuggling network transporting 60 tonnes of cocaine annually across North America, U.S. authorities charge. Officials describe him as a major logistics operator rather than a cartel boss, moving drugs over vast distances with advanced methods. He benefited from Sinaloa cartel protection, founded by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, and evidence suggests occasional collaboration with El Mencho’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
Wedding faces federal charges of murder and drug trafficking in California, where he pleaded not guilty after his January arrest in Mexico.
Key Associates and Investigations
Wedding’s deputy, Canadian Andrew Clark, was arrested by Mexican forces in October 2024. Mexico’s security minister, Omar García Harfuch, noted Clark managed logistics for both Sinaloa and CJNG. Clark later became an FBI informant, aiding probes into Wedding’s network.
Canadian Drug Seizures and Retaliation
U.S. officials label Wedding the dominant cocaine importer into Canada. His operation may connect to “Project Castillo,” a Toronto police seizure of 835 kilograms of cocaine valued at $83 million, bearing CJNG hallmarks and intended for nationwide distribution.
Toronto-based crime analyst Luis Najera, originally from Mexico, warns such busts often trigger unreported CJNG killings. “When this kind of seizure happens, there’s people who have to pay for that,” he said. “And usually payment is basically, your life.”
Expected Price Surge in Canada
Police in Toronto and Montreal anticipate cocaine prices will rise following Oseguera’s death. Toronto spokesperson Ashley Visser expects the current $21,000 to $26,000 per kilogram range to climb due to Mexican disruptions.
In Montreal, prices hit $33,000 per kilogram after Wedding’s arrest before settling at $21,000, within normal levels, according to spokesperson Samantha Velandia. She added that price swings impact quality: “Fluctuations in the price of a kilo influence the product, which tends to be purer when the price is low” and adulterated during rises, posing greater risks to users.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree views the development positively: “Any type of reduction in the capacity of transnational organized crime networks to be able to do their trade is important.” He cautioned, “Sometimes, it’s short lived.”
