The recent apprehension of Ryan Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder who allegedly became a major drug trafficker, remains cloaked in uncertainty, with conflicting accounts from U.S. and Mexican authorities regarding the circumstances of his detention.

Wedding, who competed for Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was listed among the FBI’s 10 most-wanted fugitives. The 44-year-old is accused of heading a billion-dollar drug smuggling ring and orchestrating multiple murders.

Dubbed a “modern-day Pablo Escobar,” Wedding was reportedly residing in Mexico under the protection of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel.

On the day of his dramatic capture, FBI Director Kash Patel took to social media to credit the bureau’s Hostage Rescue Team for their role, stating they “executed with precision, discipline, and total professionalism” alongside Mexican counterparts to bring Wedding to justice.

Conversely, Mexico’s Security Minister Omar García Harfuch indicated that Wedding surrendered himself, with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson issuing a statement describing the 44-year-old’s “voluntary surrender.”

Stunning footage of Ryan Wedding arriving in the US in handcuffs after his arrest last week

Wedding represented Canada during the Winter Olympics in 2002 but he did not win a medal

Both Kash Patel and Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum have spoken about how Wedding was captured earlier this month

He said the arrest was ‘a direct result of pressure exerted by Mexican and US law enforcement authorities, who worked in close coordination and cooperation.’

Reports south of the border, meanwhile, claimed Wedding turned himself in at 2:40am at the US Embassy after ‘weeks’ of negotiations with the FBI. 

‘The Mexican government privately complained to the United States government because it has allowed the version to spread that it was an operation on Mexican soil,’ one report claimed.

But that version of events was later disputed by Wedding’s lawyer. ‘He was arrested, he didn’t surrender,’ Anthony Colombo said outside court.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Mexican law bans foreign agents from ‘being physically present in law-enforcement operations on its soil and taking part in detentions or raids.’ The country’s ruling party is said to be ‘particularly sensitive to foreign interference.’ 

Earlier this week, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum attempted to address the confusion. She contradicted both Patel and Colombo by insisting there was no US involvement in the operation that led to Wedding’s arrest.

‘I’m not going to get into a debate with the FBI director, nor do I want there to be a conflict,’ Sheinbaum said. 

‘What they, the US authorities, told the Mexican authorities is that it was a voluntary surrender.’

On Wednesday night, the Wall Street Journal detailed another version of events. Citing officials on both sides of the border, the outlet claimed Mexican security forces had been ‘closing in’ on Wedding, who had run out of options.

The Canadian is pictured left in a courtroom sketch of his first court appearance

On Friday, law enforcement officials revealed Wedding had been arrested and put in custody

The 44-year-old has denied leading a billion-dollar drug-smuggling operation

But by the time Wedding was captured, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team was involved. It’s said law enforcement reached out to the alleged drug kingpin and during ‘an intense negotiation reminded him that his associates had been captured and millions of dollars of his assets had been seized. He was eventually handcuffed by FBI agents.

The bureau’s role in the operation, the WSJ said, was supposed to be a secret. That was until Patel’s social media post.

‘If the U.S. government is unilaterally going into a sovereign country and apprehending somebody, you can understand the concern that sovereign entity might have,’ Colombo said.

Wedding was apprehended at a time when – according to the WSJ – tensions are high between the US and Mexico in the wake of Maduro’s capture and threats by President Trump to launch strikes against Mexican cartels.