Mexican authorities have confiscated an extensive collection of motorcycles, including a MotoGP bike raced by Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo, believed to belong to a drug lord. The FBI released images on Monday night showing a vast assortment of bikes connected to Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder listed among the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives, who is thought to be hiding in Mexico.
Wedding, 44, was charged with multiple drug offenses in 2024 and remains at large, with a $15 million reward offered for his capture. The Canadian athlete competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and was imprisoned in 2009 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Released in late 2010, he is suspected of establishing a drug trafficking network that regularly moves hundreds of kilograms of cocaine between Canada and the United States. Authorities regard him as armed and dangerous.
This month, Mexican authorities executed several search warrants and seized motorcycles valued at approximately $40 million, belonging to Wedding. The impressive collection includes notable MotoGP bikes such as Jorge Lorenzo’s 2018 Ducati, on which he secured three Grand Prix victories; Andrea Dovizioso’s 2019 Desmosedici; Valentino Rossi’s two Ducatis from 2011 and 2012; and Marc Marquez’s Moto2 bike from the same years. The haul also contains several Honda 500cc Grand Prix Challengers and Kawasaki superbikes.
The future of these motorcycles remains uncertain as they are being held by authorities. The FBI commented that this seizure was a joint effort involving Mexican officials, the FBI, RCMP, and LAPD.
Fan Take: For racing fans, this news is a stark reminder of the unexpected intersections between sport and crime, highlighting how prized racing memorabilia can become entangled in illicit activities. The confiscation of these legendary bikes not only marks a major law enforcement victory but also raises questions about the fate of these iconic machines and their place in racing history.
