Undercover police sting used to nab Melbourne chiropractor on cocaine charges
An undercover police sting nabbed a celebrity Melbourne chiro charged over a $90 million coke bust. Details of the operation have emerged in court as his latest bid for bail was rejected.
Law & Order
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A prominent Melbourne chiropractor arrested over a $90 million cocaine shipment allegedly told an undercover cop he had more.
Brian Warren Sipser, the former husband of socialite Andi Lew, was contacted by the operative in the period after the drugs were seized from two men in a highway bust.
Police say the 120kg of liquid cocaine, shipped in hundreds of wine bottles from South Africa, was delivered to Dr Sipser’s Elwood clinic in July 2018, before it was collected by the men later detained and released.
Three months later, an undercover operative allegedly made contact with Dr Sipser, 42, and made “an offer to alter or destroy documentation connecting the applicant to the consignment.”
A Supreme Court bail application by Dr Sipser was told he accepted the offer and that he had more cocaine.
“Yeah, I’ve got more but you got to make this s—t go away,” he is accused of saying.
Dr Sipser’s legal counsel said the allegations were a ploy and that he thought he was talking to a patient.
Prosecutors alleged Dr Sipser bought a consignment of wine on eBay on June 23 last year.
When it arrived in Sydney, addressed to Warren, it came with supporting documents predating the eBay purchase date.
Australian Border Force testing showed the presence of cocaine in 343 of the 600 bottles. The original cargo was replaced by replica bottles containing “an inert substance imitating … liquid cocaine.”
Dr Sipser was at Crown Casino at the time of the delivery to his business and contacted his mother and stepfather to receive it.
Police allege he was trying to distance himself from the consignment but his lawyer told the court he had simply taken up an offer of free accommodation for the night.
After the delivery, Dr Sipser was allegedly seen inspecting the consignment eight times in two hours.
It was later collected by two men who were arrested and the cargo seized in a police swoop at a service station in Tallarook.
Later searches of Dr Sipser’s home and businesses allegedly uncovered 79 grams of cocaine, scales, empty capsules and $2100 in cash.
Dr Sipser made a string of denials when arrested by police, saying he had no involvement in the eBay purchase or organising his mother to take delivery of the packages.
He faces charges including importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
His legal team said Dr Sipser was helping his sick mother until his arrest and paying child support for his son.
It was argued that he has no criminal convictions, is at risk of defaulting on his mortgage and that the matter may not reach trial until early 2021.
Bail was refused, despite the offer of a $1 million surety, meaning he has now been in custody for six months.