A Port Alberni man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of multiple drug-trafficking and firearms offences.
Josef Brodek, 53, was a prolific trafficker in illicit drugs and continued to deal after being charged and released because of delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Port Alberni RCMP.
“The total number of drugs and cash our officers have taken off the streets is staggering, with the total number of potentially fatal doses equalling the population of the city of Port Alberni,” said Const. Richard Johns.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic caused delays in the court system which led to Mr. Brodek being charged for some offences nearly three years later.”
Brodek was arrested in 2019 after investigators found significant amounts of drugs, three firearms and more than $100,000 in cash during a search of his residence. The following year, after another search of his residence, officers seized 3,000 single uses of methamphetamine and large amounts of other drugs.
In 2022, Brodek sold drugs to undercover police officers on three occasions. A third search of his residence located more drugs, police said, adding in total, they seized more than $115,000 in cash, 13,000 individual doses of methamphetamine, 3,000 units of cocaine, nearly 2,600 units of GHB and more than 1,100 units of fentanyl, along with other pills and illicit drugs.
Searches also turned up two firearms and a wedding ring linked to break and enters. The wedding ring was returned to its owner, police said.
“Normally the RCMP doesn’t provide a media release regarding a conviction on drug offences,” Johns said. “In this case, considering the accused continued trafficking while under charge, the amount of drugs, cash and weapons seized, it’s important that we inform the community of the care, effort and expertise of our officers to investigate these offences to keep us safe.”
