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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Ont. truckers used secret compartment to smuggle cocaine for fugitive Ryan Wedding
Two truckers have agreed to plead guilty in connection with a scheme to smuggle loads of cocaine from California to Ontario on behalf of fugitive Ryan Wedding's criminal enterprise, CBC News has learned. Iqbal Singh Virk and Ranjit Singh Rowal from the Toronto area are the first Canadians to sign plea deals with U.S. prosecutors following the FBI's sprawling investigation revealed last fall, dubbed "Operation Giant Slalom." The probe — named after Wedding's previous career as an elite snowboarder — sought to dismantle his alleged drug trafficking network, which uses commercial transport trucks to move tonnes of cocaine and fentanyl across North America. The group has also been linked to at least four murders in Ontario. Wedding, who competed for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah, is listed as one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives, with a $10-million US reward offered for information leading to his capture. According to documents filed this month in U.S. District Court in L.A., Virk and Rowal have each committed to plead guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. They were both arrested in August 2024 as they tried to cross the Blue Water Bridge from Michigan to the Sarnia, Ont., area, while carrying 95 kg of cocaine bricks and 20 kg of heroin in a secret compartment in their truck's trailer. They concealed the drugs by carrying legal goods and documentation to show the products were meant to be hauled from the U.S. to Canada. U.S. border agents, however, pulled over the truck for a secondary inspection, where an X-ray scanner and a sniffer dog revealed the "non-factory" compartment. A search of Ontario licence plate records by CBC News indicates the trailer was registered to a Brampton, Ont.-based company linked to Rowal, 65. A U.S. grand jury indictment unsealed last October named Virk and Rowal — Indian citizens who hold permanent resident status in Canada — and 14 others as members of Wedding's drug ring. The indictment said the pair worked on behalf of a transportation network that handled Wedding's shipments to Canada. However, the transnational criminal operation didn't always go smoothly. Court documents reveal an internal dispute in May 2024 led to one big drug shipment being called off. Virk and Rowal's plea agreements recount how the pair pulled over at a rest stop in southern California, expecting to receive a 347-kg load of cocaine. Their truck, however, only had room for 250 kg. Through an intermediary, Wedding purportedly offered to pay $150,000 Cdn to move the reduced shipment — instead of the agreed upon rate of $220,000. But Gurpreet Singh, allegedly a leader of the transportation network, wouldn't agree to the cut rate. The shipment was called off. Singh and his uncle, Hardeep Ratte, who are accused of co-ordinating cocaine shipments to Canada for Wedding, both remain in custody in Ontario while facing extradition to the U.S. They're scheduled to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday. U.S. prosecutors have said Wedding — whose aliases include Public Enemy, Giant and "El Jefe" or "The Boss" — is still trafficking drugs while on the run, and has access to a "network of hitmen." WATCH | Where was this picture of Ryan Wedding taken? We found out: Earlier this month, the FBI told CBC News it was seeking to gather tips on Wedding's whereabouts from people in a region of central Mexico. Investigators have suggested Wedding may be living in the country, under the protection of the murderous Sinaloa cartel. CBC News recently reported that a historic drug bust in Peel Region, west of Toronto, mirrored the smuggling route used by Virk and Rowal. Peel police said it's highly likely Wedding's network remains active in the area. CBC senior reporter Thomas Daigle has reported extensively on the case of fugitive alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding. Send news tips to
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
Ontario truckers used secret compartment to smuggle cocaine for alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding
Ryan Wedding, alleged leader of a Mexican Cartel-linked criminal network. RCMP Two Toronto-area truck drivers have committed to pleading guilty in connection with a cocaine-smuggling plot for fugitive and former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Iqbal Singh Virk and Ranjit Singh Rowal are the first Canadians to sign plea deals with U.S. prosecutors following the FBI's investigation, aptly named 'Operation Giant Slalom,' according to CBC News . The probe aimed to take down Wedding's alleged drug trafficking organization, which is accused of using commercial transport trucks to move massive amounts of cocaine and fentanyl from Colombia, through Mexico and California and into Canada. The group has also been linked to multiple unsolved murders, including at least four murders in Ontario, the outlet reported. Virk and Rowal were travelling back to Ontario from California when they were allegedly busted trying to cross the Blue Water Bridge from Michigan into Sarnia with 95 kilograms of cocaine bricks and 20 kilograms of heroin in a 'non-factory' compartment in their truck's trailer. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They attempted to hide the drugs by carrying legal goods and documentation; however, an X-ray scanner and sniffer dog allegedy revealed the secret nook. Virk and Rowal — Indian citizens who hold permanent resident status in Canada — were among 16 alleged members of Wedding's drug ring named in a U.S. grand jury indictment unsealed last October. The indictment listed the pair as part of a transportation network that handled Wedding's shipments to Canada. They each agreed to plead guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to documents filed this month in U.S. District Court in L.A. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. An alleged leader of the transportation network, Gurpreet Singh, and his uncle, Hardeep Ratte, are accused of coordinating cocaine shipments to Canada for Wedding. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They are both in custody in Ontario while facing extradition to the U.S. They are set to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday. Read More Wedding is still allegedly trafficking drugs while on the lam and has access to a 'network of hitmen,' according to prosecutors stateside. Wedding, whose aliases include 'The Boss,' 'Public Enemy,' 'Giant' and 'El Jefe,' competed for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah. He is now one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives, with a (US)$10-million reward offered for information leading to his capture. Toronto Blue Jays NHL Canada World Sunshine Girls
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Truck drivers accused of smuggling cocaine for Ryan Wedding's alleged drug network to plead guilty: U.S. court docs
Two truck drivers who are among 10 Canadians arrested following an FBI investigation into a multi-national drug-trafficking ring allegedly run by Canadian ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding have agreed to plead guilty to charges they are facing in the United States. According to documents filed in a U.S. court this month, Canadian residents Ranjit Singh Rowal and Iqbal Singh Virk have agreed to sign plea deals with prosecutors in the United States in relation to charges filed as part of 'Operation Giant Slalom,' an FBI investigation into Wedding's alleged criminal drug-smuggling network. The charges Virk and Rowal have agreed to plead to include conspiracy to distribute cocaine, an offence which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. A U.S. indictment unsealed last year revealed details about the large-scale FBI investigation. In the indictment, the FBI alleges that over a period of several months, illegal drugs, including 1,800 kilograms of cocaine, were transported from Colombia, through Mexico and southern California, to Canada and other parts of the U.S. using a network of dispatchers, drivers, distributors, and stash houses. Rowal and Virk were two of the drivers who were arrested for their involvement in the alleged scheme. According to the facts outlined in the plea agreement, Rowal and Virk were arrested in August 2024 after attempting to enter Canada from Port Huron, Mich. The documents state that the pair told law enforcement at the border that they were transporting steel bars into Canada but during an initial inspection of the truck, an X-Ray scan revealed 'anomalies' in the trailer. A secondary inspection, which included K-9 officers, brought attention to the rear of the trailer and upon further investigation, a 'non-factory hidden compartment' was located. It contained 115 bricks of white powder containing 'a detectable amount of cocaine and heroin,' the documents read. The documents also outlined another instance prior to their arrest where the pair were contracted to transport drugs from California into Canada. According to details in the plea agreement, the two entered the U.S. from Canada in a long-haul semi-truck on April 28, 2024 and on May 3, 2024, parked the truck at a rest stop in Ontario, California in anticipation of a drug delivery. The shipment, the documents state, was eventually called off after it was discovered that the truck only had space for 250 kilograms of cocaine rather than the 347 kilograms that was supposed to be taken across the border. The head of the distribution network refused to take a lesser price for shipping a smaller quantity and the shipment was cancelled, the documents read. While the vast majority of those wanted in Operation Giant Slalom have been apprehended, Wedding, the alleged boss of the multi-national, billion dollar drug empire, remains at large. Wedding and his alleged 'second in command' are accused of directing a combined four murders in Ontario in furtherance of their drug empire, the FBI said. 'The FBI believes Wedding is in Mexico. We will never rule out that a fugitive could be in another country, particularly someone like Wedding with financial means, but that is where our publicity efforts are focused at this time,' Laura Eimiller, a spokesperson with the FBI, said in an email to CTV News Toronto earlier this month. Eimiller added the FBI believes Wedding is being protected by the Sinaloa Cartel. U.S. prosecutors said earlier this year that they suspected Wedding still had access to a 'network of hitmen' and the RCMP previously said they believe 'elements' of his alleged operation are still active in Canada. With files from CTV Toronto's Phil Tsekouras
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Ont. truckers used secret compartment to smuggle cocaine for fugitive Ryan Wedding
Two truckers have agreed to plead guilty in connection with a scheme to smuggle loads of cocaine from California to Ontario on behalf of fugitive Ryan Wedding's criminal enterprise, CBC News has learned. Iqbal Singh Virk and Ranjit Singh Rowal from the Toronto area are the first Canadians to sign plea deals with U.S. prosecutors following the FBI's sprawling investigation revealed last fall, dubbed "Operation Giant Slalom." The probe — named after Wedding's previous career as an elite snowboarder — sought to dismantle his alleged drug trafficking network, which uses commercial transport trucks to move tonnes of cocaine and fentanyl across North America. The group has also been linked to at least four murders in Ontario. In August 2024, suspected cocaine and heroin was found in a secret compartment in a Canada-bound truck on the Blue Water Bridge, linking Ontario and Michigan. (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) Wedding, who competed for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah, is listed as one of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives, with a $10-million US reward offered for information leading to his capture. According to documents filed this month in U.S. District Court in L.A., Virk and Rowal have each committed to plead guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. They were both arrested in August 2024 as they tried to cross the Blue Water Bridge from Michigan to the Sarnia, Ont., area, while carrying 95 kg of cocaine bricks and 20 kg of heroin in a secret compartment in their truck's trailer. They concealed the drugs by carrying legal goods and documentation to show the products were meant to be hauled from the U.S. to Canada. U.S. border agents, however, pulled over the truck for a secondary inspection, where an X-ray scanner and a sniffer dog revealed the "non-factory" compartment. In August 2024, U.S. border agents seized 95 kg of cocaine and 20 kg of heroin, as Iqbal Singh Virk and Ranjit Singh Rowal sought to smuggle the drugs across the Blue Water Bridge, from Michigan to Ontario. ( U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) A search of Ontario licence plate records by CBC News indicates the trailer was registered to a Brampton, Ont.-based company linked to Rowal, 65. A U.S. grand jury indictment unsealed last October named Virk and Rowal — Indian citizens who hold permanent resident status in Canada — and 14 others as members of Wedding's drug ring. The indictment said the pair worked on behalf of a transportation network that handled Wedding's shipments to Canada. However, the transnational criminal operation didn't always go smoothly. Court documents reveal an internal dispute in May 2024 led to one big drug shipment being called off. Virk and Rowal's plea agreements recount how the pair pulled over at a rest stop in southern California, expecting to receive a 347-kg load of cocaine. Their truck, however, only had room for 250 kg. Through an intermediary, Wedding purportedly offered to pay $150,000 Cdn to move the reduced shipment — instead of the agreed upon rate of $220,000. But Gurpreet Singh , allegedly a leader of the transportation network, wouldn't agree to the cut rate. Before he was convicted in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, Ryan Wedding competed for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Andre Forget/The Canadian Press) The shipment was called off. Singh and his uncle, Hardeep Ratte, who are accused of co-ordinating cocaine shipments to Canada for Wedding, both remain in custody in Ontario while facing extradition to the U.S. They're scheduled to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday. U.S. prosecutors have said Wedding — whose aliases include Public Enemy, Giant and "El Jefe" or "The Boss" — is still trafficking drugs while on the run , and has access to a "network of hitmen." WATCH | Where was this picture of Ryan Wedding taken? We found out: Tracking the Canadian on the FBI's most wanted list CBC News visual investigations team, in partnership with international researchers from the Bellingcat Discord community, located the exact spot where one of the last images of Ryan Wedding was taken. Wedding, an alleged Canadian drug lord, is among the FBI's top 10 most-wanted fugitives. CBC is the first to report and confirm these findings. Earlier this month, the FBI told CBC News it was seeking to gather tips on Wedding's whereabouts from people in a region of central Mexico. Investigators have suggested Wedding may be living in the country, under the protection of the murderous Sinaloa cartel. CBC News recently reported that a historic drug bust in Peel Region, west of Toronto, mirrored the smuggling route used by Virk and Rowal. Peel police said it's highly likely Wedding's network remains active in the area. CBC senior reporter Thomas Daigle has reported extensively on the case of fugitive alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding. Send news tips to
