Mexico seizes Olympic medals, motorcycles in raids linked to ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding

Mexican authorities said that they seized motorcycles, Olympic medals and drugs in a series of raids on properties linked to a former Olympian.

Without naming Canadian snowboarder Ryan Wedding, the government confirmed that raids targeted an Olympic player among the United States (U.S.) most wanted fugitives.

The operation targeting four properties in and around Mexico City was conducted by the Mexican Navy, the National Guard and federal agents from the attorney general’s office.

The country’s security secretariat shared a list of items confiscated in these raids - which are being considered as one of the most important operations in a hunt for a sports star turned drug lord.

• 62 high-end motorcycles
• Two vehicles
• Two Olympic medals
• Methamphetamine
• Marijuana
• Works of art
• Ammunition
• Documents

Mexican media later identified the 44-year-old as the target of the operation.

The U.S. has accused Wedding of building a billion-dollar drug empire after participating in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is offering a $15 million reward for information leading to Wedding’s arrest and accuses him of being responsible for dozens of murders.

These raids in Mexico came after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized an ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster, estimated to be worth $13 million.

The U.S. Treasury Department claims Wedding uses a complex network of front companies and cryptocurrency to shield himself and his wealth.