A truck driver in England was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison after authorities said they found nearly $10 million worth of cocaine hidden inside a shipment of Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS clothing brand.
Investigators said the SKIMS shipment itself was legitimate and that neither the exporter nor importer was accused of wrongdoing. Representatives for SKIMS and Kardashian did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Jakub Jan Konkel, 40, was sentenced Monday to 13 years and six months in prison following an investigation by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, according to the agency.
Border Force officers stopped Konkel on Sept. 5 at the Port of Harwich in Essex after he arrived on a ferry from the Hook of Holland in the Netherlands.
Authorities said the truck was carrying 28 pallets of SKIMS clothing when officers discovered a concealed compartment built into the rear trailer doors. Investigators said the vehicle had been specially modified to hide the drugs inside the trailer.
Inside the hidden compartment were 90 kilogram-sized packages of cocaine with an estimated street value of about $9.6 million, authorities said.
Authorities said trafficking groups often hide narcotics inside legitimate commercial shipments to avoid detection.
“Organized crime groups use corrupt drivers like Konkel to move Class A drugs often hidden on entirely legitimate loads such as this,” NCA Operations Manager Paul Orchard said.
Investigators also said Konkel’s vehicle records showed an unexplained 16-minute stop before reaching the port, where authorities allege the drugs were loaded into the truck, with only Konkel and the smuggling group aware of the operation.
Konkel initially denied knowing about the cocaine, but later pleaded guilty to drug smuggling, admitting he agreed to transport the drugs in exchange for €4,500, or roughly $5,200, according to the NCA.
Orchard said investigators seized “a significant amount of cocaine” and disrupted the criminal group behind the smuggling attempt.
Border Force Assistant Director Jason Thorn said the seizure deprived criminal networks of millions in profits.
“These drugs destroy lives and inflict misery on our communities,” Thorn said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
