Brian O'Dea
Encyclopedia
Brian O'Dea is a Canadian
former drug smuggler.
Born in Newfoundland
, he first worked as a minor drug dealer in the province. Moving up he became an importer of marijuana
to Canada from the United Kingdom
. After being arrested on a minor charge in Canada he served a brief sentence before moving to Jamaica
, where he coordinated marijuana and cocaine
smuggling operations going from Colombia
to the United States
and Canada
.
Moving to California, he became one of the leaders in exporting marijuana from Southeast Asia
in the years after the Vietnam War
. Using fishing vessels as cover he brought boatloads of drugs into the pacific northwest United States. Controlling a trucking company, two hundred-foot fishing vessels, and a workforce of 120, O'Dea and crew imported hundreds of millions of dollars worth of marijuana to ports in Washington at the business' peak in the early 1980s. He and his partners would then sell the drugs throughout the U.S.
Under increasing threat from the Drug Enforcement Administration
, he quit the business in 1986, but his life declined and he became addicted to drugs. After suffering an overdose in 1988 he rejected drugs, becoming a drug and alcohol addiction counselor. Three years later, however, the DEA finally had assembled a case against him and arrested him. He pled guilty and was sentenced to ten years in jail, being transferred to the Springhill Penitentiary in Canada in 1992.
In 1993 he was paroled and became a venture capitalist in Toronto
. He attracted much media attention when, in 2001, he published a long advertisement in the National Post
, advertising his executive management skills and being blatantly upfront about his past, arguing it was the greatest proof of his abilities. He went on to become a television and film producer, producing a number one show (Creepy Canada
on two Canadian networks.
He wrote the book HIGH: Confessions of a Pot Smuggler -release date 11 April 2006 (published by Random House
) and in July (by Virgin Books
in the UK and Australia). His book won the 2007 Arthur Ellis Award for Best True Crime Book. HIGH will be published in the United States in May 2009 by Other Press.
Currently, a dramatic version of the book for film, as well as a documentary
version of same for theatrical release are in pre-production.
O'Dea can be heard narrating the 2009 documentary Hangman's Graveyard
, which tells the story of an archaeological investigation at Toronto's Old Don Jail
to uncover a long forgotten cemetery.
Beginning in January, 2012, O'Dea can be seen alongside Kevin O'Leary
on Redemption Inc., a new reality series on CBC that gives 10 ex-cons the opportunity to set up their own businesses.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
former drug smuggler.
Born in Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, he first worked as a minor drug dealer in the province. Moving up he became an importer of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
to Canada from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. After being arrested on a minor charge in Canada he served a brief sentence before moving to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, where he coordinated marijuana and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
smuggling operations going from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Moving to California, he became one of the leaders in exporting marijuana from Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in the years after the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Using fishing vessels as cover he brought boatloads of drugs into the pacific northwest United States. Controlling a trucking company, two hundred-foot fishing vessels, and a workforce of 120, O'Dea and crew imported hundreds of millions of dollars worth of marijuana to ports in Washington at the business' peak in the early 1980s. He and his partners would then sell the drugs throughout the U.S.
Under increasing threat from the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
, he quit the business in 1986, but his life declined and he became addicted to drugs. After suffering an overdose in 1988 he rejected drugs, becoming a drug and alcohol addiction counselor. Three years later, however, the DEA finally had assembled a case against him and arrested him. He pled guilty and was sentenced to ten years in jail, being transferred to the Springhill Penitentiary in Canada in 1992.
In 1993 he was paroled and became a venture capitalist in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He attracted much media attention when, in 2001, he published a long advertisement in the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, advertising his executive management skills and being blatantly upfront about his past, arguing it was the greatest proof of his abilities. He went on to become a television and film producer, producing a number one show (Creepy Canada
Creepy Canada
Creepy Canada is a Canadian television series that aired on OLN. It focused on paranormal activities around Canada. The show first premiered on October 23, 2002 and began its third season on May 5, 2006...
on two Canadian networks.
He wrote the book HIGH: Confessions of a Pot Smuggler -release date 11 April 2006 (published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
) and in July (by Virgin Books
Virgin Books
Virgin Books is a United Kingdom book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Enterprises, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.-History:...
in the UK and Australia). His book won the 2007 Arthur Ellis Award for Best True Crime Book. HIGH will be published in the United States in May 2009 by Other Press.
Currently, a dramatic version of the book for film, as well as a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
version of same for theatrical release are in pre-production.
O'Dea can be heard narrating the 2009 documentary Hangman's Graveyard
Hangman's Graveyard
Hangman's Graveyard is a Gemini nominated and award winning Canadian documentary which was originally broadcast in Canada on History Television on December 6, 2009. A work-in-progress screening of the film was presented at the Ontario Archaeological Society’s 36th annual symposium and as the...
, which tells the story of an archaeological investigation at Toronto's Old Don Jail
Don Jail
The Toronto Jail is a provincial jail for remanded offenders in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Riverdale neighbourhood on Gerrard Street East near its intersection with Broadview Avenue. It gets its nickname from the nearby Don River...
to uncover a long forgotten cemetery.
Beginning in January, 2012, O'Dea can be seen alongside Kevin O'Leary
Kevin O'Leary
Kevin Frederick O'Leary QC was the second Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory. He was appointed to that position on 12 September 1985 after James Muirhead had acted in the position following the relocation to Perth of the Territory's first Chief Justice Sir William...
on Redemption Inc., a new reality series on CBC that gives 10 ex-cons the opportunity to set up their own businesses.
External links
- http://www.thecommentary.ca/ontheline/20060427b.html Brian O'Dea interview