An alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, Andrew Clark, has been extradited from Mexico to the United States. The Justice Department announced that Clark will face federal charges related to running a criminal enterprise, committing murder and attempted murder, and conspiring to possess, distribute, and export cocaine.
Clark, 34, a Canadian citizen previously residing in Mexico, was arrested by Mexican authorities in October 2024. He is set to be arraigned on Monday in the United States District Court in Phoenix. The charges are part of a 16-count superseding indictment from the Central District of California. Alongside former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, Clark allegedly managed a billion-dollar drug operation with supply routes transporting cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California to Canada.
Between March and August 2024, it is alleged that Wedding and Clark conspired with others to handle over 1,800 kilograms of cocaine. From April to September 2024, they reportedly used virtual currency wallets to transfer around $250 million. Authorities seized more than $3 million from one cryptocurrency wallet in a single day.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated: "The defendant, as described in the superseding indictment, played a key role in running a violent international drug trafficking organization that was responsible for multiple murders."
The indictment accuses Wedding and Clark of directing several murders between November 2023 and May 2024 in Ontario, Canada. A total of 16 defendants are charged in the superseding indictment; eight have been arraigned so far.
Clark faces severe penalties if convicted: life imprisonment for the continuing criminal enterprise charge; at least 20 years for murder-related charges; and at least ten years for drug trafficking offenses.
This case was investigated by the FBI alongside various U.S., Canadian, Mexican, and Colombian law enforcement agencies. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) supported this investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Maria Jhai of the Violent and Organized Crime Section along with Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.
Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
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