FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that authorities have arrested Ryan James Wedding, one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives, following a joint operation between U.S. and Mexican authorities. With the arrest, the FBI has now captured six individuals from its Top 10 Most Wanted list over the past year.
Patel credited the arrest to strengthened international cooperation and coordinated work among multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies. He also thanked federal partners and specialized teams involved in the operation.
Arrest and transfer to the U.S.
Wedding was arrested in Mexico City overnight and has since been transferred to the United States, where he is expected to face federal charges. Authorities say he had been living in Mexico for more than a decade and had been wanted since 2024 on charges related to cocaine trafficking and homicide.
Investigators allege that Wedding played a leadership role in a transnational drug trafficking network that moved hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California. The drugs were ultimately distributed in the United States and Canada, authorities said, as part of operations linked to the Sinaloa cartel.
Binational cooperation
Patel emphasized that the arrest was made possible through close cooperation with the Mexican government and coordination between law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border. He also highlighted the role of tactical units, criminal investigators, and aviation teams, calling their involvement critical to the success of the operation.
