Authorities in the United Kingdom have reportedly uncovered cocaine valued at approximately $8.4 million concealed inside a shipment connected to Kim Kardashian’s popular shapewear brand, Skims.
According to the National Crime Agency, a 40-year-old truck driver identified as Jakub Jan Konkel was sentenced on Monday to 13 years and six months imprisonment after being caught transporting the drugs inside a truck carrying 28 pallets of Skims clothing from the Netherlands.
Konkel, who is originally from northern Poland, was intercepted by Border Force officers at the Port of Harwich in Essex, England, after arriving by ferry with the shipment in September last year.
Officials said the vehicle was subjected to an X-ray inspection, which led investigators to discover a hidden compartment built into the truck’s rear doors.
Authorities alleged that the driver had stopped during the journey to collect 90 packages of cocaine weighing a total of 198 pounds before concealing the drugs inside the specially modified compartment.
Investigators estimated the street value of the seized cocaine at roughly $8.4 million.
The agency clarified that the Skims shipment itself was legitimate and that neither the clothing exporter nor importer had any connection to the drug trafficking operation.
According to investigators, Konkel initially denied any knowledge of the hidden cocaine but later admitted that he agreed to smuggle the drugs in exchange for 4,500 euros, equivalent to about $5,276.
Reacting to the discovery, Border Force Assistant Director Jason Thorn said the interception dealt a major financial blow to criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.
“These drugs destroy lives and inflict misery on our communities,” Thorn said in a statement.
“This significant interception is testament to the brilliant work of Border Force, depriving criminal networks of millions in profit,” he added.
He further stated that authorities would continue intensifying efforts to combat organised crime and prevent dangerous drugs from entering communities.
“We continue to work round the clock to relentlessly pursue criminality, protect our borders, and keep these dangerous drugs off our streets,” Thorn said.
