Motorcycles worth $40m seized from FBI most-wanted Olympic snowboarder

Wedding (right) is believed to be living under cartel protection in Mexico

Mexican officials have seized motorcycles worth $40m (£30m) belonging to Ryan Wedding, the Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is accused of running a vast drug dealing operation.

The vehicles were discovered by Mexican authorities over several raids, the FBI said in a statement, adding that the seizures came with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Los Angeles Police Department.

The motorcycles appear to include rare racing models. Last month, officials seized a $13m Mercedes hypercar from Wedding, who is believed to be living under the protection of Mexican drug cartels.

Officials allege Wedding is among the largest narcotics traffickers in North America.

The seizures took place at four properties in Mexico City and the surrounding region, according to a statement from Mexican authorities.

Officials seized 62 motorcycles, many of which appear to be Ducatis, according to photos released by the FBI.

Other items seized include luxury paintings, artworks, drugs and two Olympic gold medals.

It is unclear to whom the medals belong. Wedding competed for Canada in the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, but did not win any medals. He came in 24th place in the men's giant parallel slalom ski event.

Last month, the FBI seized a rare 2002 Mercedes CLK-GTR, which had been valued at $13m.

Wedding is on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, with a reward of $15m for information leading to his arrest. Officials in the US have compared him to other famous drug kingpins in Latin America, including Pablo Escobar in Colombia and Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán in Mexico.

His aliases include "El Jefe," "Giant," "Public Enemy," "James Conrad King," and "Jesse King", the FBI says.

Officials allege that he launched his criminal enterprise following his release from a US federal prison in 2011, where he was serving a sentence for cocaine distribution.

Authorities allege he has ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the US, Canada and Latin America.

He has also been charged in the US with witness tampering and intimidation, money laundering and drug trafficking.