Truck driver hid $8mn worth of cocaine in Kim Kardashian's underwear shipment

A truck driver tried sneaking in cocaine worth over $8 million in a shipment of underwear and clothing from Kim Kardashian’s “Skims” brand in the United Kingdom. Jakub Jan Konkel, 40, stashed the drugs inside the vehicle, which was carrying 28 pallets of Skims clothing from the Netherlands. The National Crime Agency said that he was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court to 13 years and six months in prison for the crime on Monday. The Skims delivery was legitimate, the police said, and neither of the parties involved in the transaction was involved in the cocaine smuggling.

The incident happened last September in northern Poland when Border Force officers stopped Konkel at the Port of Harwich in Essex, England. His truck was x-rayed, which revealed 28 pallets of Skims clothing. But the rear trailer doors were carrying 90 packages of cocaine, totalling 198 pounds. They had been modified, with the compartment adapted in the truck’s back doors to hold the drugs. The police uncovered this hidden section on the truck after which the driver was arrested.

Investigations showed that Konkel stopped on the journey and to pick up the cocaine. Each of the 90 packages contained one kg of cocaine, with an estimated value of $8 million. During the interview with the NCA, he failed to declare the 16-minute stop he took, which was revealed on his tachograph. The Polish driver initially denied having any knowledge about the cocaine, but later pleaded guilty to drug smuggling. He confessed that he had agreed to smuggle the drugs for 4,500 Euros.

Border Force Assistant Director Jason Thorn said in a statement, “This significant interception is testament to the brilliant work of Border Force, depriving criminal networks of millions in profit." The police further said that neither the importer nor the exporter was involved in the drug smuggling.