Jakub Jan Konkel, a 40-year-old Polish lorry driver, has been sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison at Chelmsford Crown Court after smuggling over £7 million worth of cocaine concealed in a vehicle carrying Kim Kardashian’s Skims underwear and clothing.
The drugs were discovered during a National Crime Agency operation at the Port of Harwich, Essex, on 5 September last year.
Concealed Cocaine Found
Border Force officers stopped Konkel’s heavy goods vehicle after it arrived on a ferry from the Hook of Holland. The truck was carrying 28 pallets of legitimate Skims clothing, but a specially constructed hide within the rear trailer doors contained 90 packages of cocaine, each weighing 1kg, with a street value of approximately £7.2 million.
Methods Of Smuggling Exposed
Authorities revealed the truck had been expertly modified to conceal the drugs without arousing suspicion. A 16-minute stop recorded on Konkel’s tachograph, which he failed to declare during questioning, is believed to be when the cocaine was loaded, known only to Konkel and the organised crime group behind the operation.
Driver's Guilty Admission
Initially denying knowledge of the Class A drugs, Konkel later pleaded guilty to drug smuggling. He admitted agreeing to transport the cocaine in exchange for 4,500 Euros, according to court records.
Skims Brand Unaffected
The investigation confirmed that neither the exporters nor importers of the Skims clothing were involved or aware of the smuggling, ensuring the brand was not compromised in the operation.
Originally published by UKNIP.
