The FBI’s arrest of longtime drug kingpin and former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding marks the sixth capture of a top-10 most wanted fugitive under President Donald Trump, a milestone FBI Director Kash Patel described as the capstone of a historic year for the bureau.
Patel announced Wedding’s arrest Friday at Ontario International Airport in California, just hours after the fugitive was taken into custody in Mexico City. Speaking to reporters, Patel said the arrest underscores a dramatic surge in FBI enforcement activity and results over the past year.
“Today we are announcing the capture of another FBI’s most wanted, top-10 fugitive, Ryan Wedding,” Patel said. “That makes six top 10 FBI captures in one year alone.” He added that the figure puts the current administration’s record into perspective, noting it is two more top-10 captures than occurred during the entire previous administration.
Patel credited the broader crackdown on crime with driving historic gains across the agency. According to Patel, the FBI made 67,000 arrests over the past year, representing a 200 percent increase compared with the year before. He framed the numbers as evidence of a renewed focus on law enforcement priorities and accountability.
Beyond high-profile fugitive arrests, Patel said the bureau has dramatically increased its impact in other areas. He noted that the FBI has seized enough fentanyl over the past year to kill 150 million Americans, a 31 percent increase from prior levels. Patel said the surge in seizures reflects an intensified effort to disrupt drug trafficking networks that have fueled the nation’s opioid crisis.
Patel also highlighted gains against foreign threats, saying the FBI has made 35 percent more arrests of foreign espionage actors tied to China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. He described those arrests as part of a broader push to counter hostile intelligence operations targeting the United States.
In addition, Patel said the bureau has identified and located 6,000 missing children over the past year, an increase of 22 percent. He pointed to those efforts as a reminder that the FBI’s work extends beyond headline-grabbing cases to include protecting vulnerable victims and reuniting families.
Patel also touted a significant decline in violent crime nationwide. He said the U.S. murder rate has fallen by 20 percent under President Trump, calling it an all-time record for the modern era.
“That is an all-time record for the modern era,” Patel said, crediting coordinated federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts for the drop.
Wedding’s arrest adds to a string of high-profile takedowns that Patel said have defined the past year at the FBI. He also revealed that another top-10 most wanted fugitive was captured in Mexico last week and is expected to be transported back to the United States soon to face charges.
Patel said the pace of arrests and seizures demonstrates what he described as a renewed commitment to aggressive law enforcement. He portrayed the past year as one of unprecedented success for the bureau, marked by record numbers of arrests, major drug seizures, and progress against both domestic and international criminal threats.
With six top-10 fugitives now in custody and another on the way back to the U.S., Patel said the FBI is delivering results at a level not seen in years, signaling that the bureau intends to maintain its intensified approach going forward.
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