I've been in shock since yesterday, and this is Canada, the country I love very much....
A "cocaine lawyer," an Olympic drug lord, and the Canadian "we don't see anything": how North America's largest drug trafficking network lived right next to the government.
So, my dear readers. Did you think you'd seen everything?
You thought that the Canadian system sometimes "glitches," but generally works?
That "drug trafficking is happening somewhere in Mexico," while here, the worst scandal we have is a line at a clinic or a neighbor’s revolt against a new trash can?
Please sit down and be ready.
Today, I'll introduce you to the largest organized drug trafficking network to have existed on the North American continent since the days of Pablo Escobar, but with a Canadian passport, a Canadian lawyer, and the Canadian "everything's fine, we're working" attitude.
Hero #1: Canadian citizen, former Olympic athlete, and now the new Escobar
Meet Ryan Wedding, former Olympic snowboarder.
2002 – a man skis down a slope under the Canadian flag.
2025 – a man is sliding down the FBI list as one of the most dangerous drug lords of modern times, importing tons of cocaine annually through Mexico to the United States and Canada.
Tons is not a figure of speech.
This is the official text of the indictment.
A spectacular rebranding: from "Olympian" to "the modern reincarnation of Pablo Escobar."
Even the FBI used this wording.
There's currently a bounty of up to $15 million for his head.
Fifteen.
Million.
For a Canadian citizen.
So what? We so love to "support talent."
Hero #2: The Cocaine Lawyer, who ran an Instagram account under the name... @cocaine_lawyer
Deepak Paratkar, a respected (on paper) criminal defense attorney from Ontario.
He loved Maseratis and $1,200 Louboutins, and posted Instagram captions like:
• "KG of heroin, cocaine, guns – NOT GUILTY lol"
• Photo of a Lamborghini with the caption "cocaine pays lol!!!"
• photos of clients from the criminal underworld
• and his lavish lifestyle, paid for, as it turns out, not only by fees
Official status:
lawyer for drug lord Wedding's criminal syndicate, who:
-gave his client personal information of people whom he wanted to "remove"
-helped find and eliminate a key FBI witness
-advised specifically: "If you kill the witness, the case will be closed"
-stole court documents
-hired lawyers for dummy clients to pass confidential information to Wedding
-distributed contacts of "enemies" up the chain of assassins
And what did he get for all this in Canada?
Don’t worry, I'll get to that part in a moment, keep your cool.
Hero #3: Canadian killer from Laval, Quebec
Because a lawyer wearing Louboutins isn't enough to kill a witness.
You need killers.
And then a whole group enters the picture:
• A Canadian citizen from Laval, Atna Ouna
• A Canadian from Montreal, Edwin Basora-Hernandez, a reggaeton musician who provided contacts
• A blogger who ran the crime website "The Dirty News," who paid to publish the witness's location
• People who flew across Saudi Arabia and Colombia to search for the victim
• Colombian killers who completed the "job"
And all of this is part of a single Canadian network operating through the United States, Mexico, and Colombia.
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Key incident: The murder of an FBI witness in a restaurant in Medellin
The witness is Jonathan Acebedo-Garcia- a former associate of Wedding's who made a plea deal.
What's next?
• A bounty of "several million" is placed for his head
• His photo and address are published on a Canadian crime news website
• A reggaeton musician gives killers his phone number
• An organized group tracks him across several countries
• In Medellin, killers arrive on a motorcycle
• One enters a restaurant
• Shoots him point-blank while he's eating
A photo of the corpse was sent to Wedding as "confirmation of completion."
Paratkar, a lawyer, received expensive watches and generous "fees" for such service.
Yes, I understand you're reading this over and over again.
But yes, this is all Canada.
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And now pay attention to the reaction of the Canadian legal board!
Even if you're sitting down, hold on.
When Paratkar displayed weapons, drugs, and signatures like "cocaine makes money" in his apartment, and when he was caught illegally sending letters to the serial killer Millard, the Ontario Bar Association ruled:
"There's a reason to believe he won't do it again.
We won't open a disciplinary case."
That is to say:
-Instagram full of drugs and weapons – fine
-"Not guilty lol" captions under kilograms of heroin – all good
-Ethics violations in the Millard case – it happens
-Criminal connections – who knows?
-A Lamborghini advertising cocaine – who cares?
They shook their finger at him and sent him home.
Because... "he's unlikely to repeat it."
And of course he did.
And how!
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Canadian authorities were asleep but Americans were working.
Honestly: if it weren't for the US, we wouldn't have even heard about this now.
Who started the network?
-FBI
-US Department of Justice
-Department of Homeland Security
-Drug Enforcement Administration
-Los Angeles Police Department
-Colombian Police
-Interpol
-Miami, Chicago, and Buffalo agencies
Who BURIED this network?
The US.
And what did Canada do?
As usual: "We're working diligently, but we can't disclose details."
The Americans said bluntly:
"This organization imported tons of cocaine annually.
It's one of the most dangerous networks of our time."
The Americans gave a mind-boggling quote:
"We had to intervene because this network was too large and dangerous."
If the FBI hadn't gotten involved,
if the US hadn't launched Operation Giant Slalom,
if the US hadn't raised the extradition question,
Canada would have continued to pretend the lawyer simply "likes expensive cars" and the drug lord was just "an athlete living a private lifestyle in Mexico."
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Conclusion: if it weren't for the Americans, Canada would have continued to pretend nothing was happening.
And that's the worst part.
We have:
• a lawyer trades access to witnesses
• a lawyer works as a hit manager
• an Olympic drug lord works with the Sinaloa cartel
• Canadian citizens carry out contract killings abroad
• a network supplies tons of cocaine
• bloggers help find people for murder
• Canadian authorities are "basically aware"
• a legal board turns a blind eye
• and the investigation is being carried out by... another country
The US demands extradition.
The FBI announces a reward.
Colombia carries out operations. Mexico is searching for clues.
And Canada?
It continues to "coordinate its position" procedurally and promises to "conduct an internal investigation."
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And here's the final point.
If it weren't for the Americans, no one would have stopped this network.
No one.
The lawyer would have continued taking photos of "heroin - not guilty lol."
Bloggers would have continued selling people's data.
The killers would be looking for witnesses.
The drug lord would be shipping tons of cocaine under our own flag.
But the US intervened.
Because someone finally had to say:
"Guys, what are you even doing there?"
Oleksandra Melnykova, Immigration and Refugee Consultant in Canada.
Copyright 2025 “SKI Immigration Inc.” All rights reserved.
