Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding has pleaded not guilty to all 17 felony charges against him, including drug trafficking, witness tampering, and conspiracy to commit murder.

In his first court appearance since being arrested in Mexico last week, Wedding appeared relaxed, smiling with his attorney and occasionally at media and FBI agents as he stretched his unshackled arms.

Wedding was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list for allegedly running a transnational drug cartel, importing millions of dollars' worth of cocaine into Los Angeles and distributing it to Canada and across the US.

He is also accused of orchestrating the murder of a man who planned to testify against him.

US officials have alleged the 44-year-old was living in Mexico under the Sinaloa drug cartel's protection.

Wedding, who wore a tan prison jumper over an orange shirt and socks, told Judge John Early on Monday that he had read the two indictments against him and understood his rights. His attorney did not request bail, but indicated they may do so at a later date.

A Canadian national who competed in snowboarding at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Wedding still looks like an athlete – at 1.91m (6ft 3in) and 109 kg (240 pounds). Some journalists expressed surprise that his wrists were not shackled.

US officials have not provided details of Wedding's arrest in Mexico, but his lawyer disputed reports from Mexican officials that he had turned himself in, calling it a false narrative.

Wedding appeared in court in Santa Ana, Orange County, rather than Los Angeles, due to ongoing protests outside the LA federal building against federal immigration operations. His next court date is set for February 9 in Los Angeles.

Previously described as a modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar by FBI director Kash Patel, the agency states that Wedding's aliases include El Jefe, Giant, Public Enemy, James Conrad King, and Jesse King. Officials allege he launched his criminal enterprise after being released from federal prison in 2011, following a sentence for cocaine distribution.

He is alleged to have ordered dozens of murders across the globe, including in the US, Canada, and Latin America, and reports indicate he lived luxuriously in Mexico while the search for him intensified. The FBI has recovered approximately $40 million worth of motorcycles linked to Wedding's activities in Mexico.