Authorities have uncovered cocaine valued at an estimated $8.4 million concealed within a shipment tied to a popular underwear brand owned by reality TV star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian.
Driver Sentenced for Drug Smuggling
Jakub Jan Konkel, 40, was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison on Monday for hiding a large quantity of drugs inside his truck, which was transporting 28 pallets of Skims clothing from the Netherlands, according to the National Crime Agency.
Konkel, originally from northern Poland, was intercepted by Border Force officers at the Port of Harwich in Essex, England, after arriving on a ferry with his truck loaded with the celebrity shapewear last September, the agency reported.
Discovery of Cocaine
Following an X-ray scan of his vehicle, investigators found that the truck driver had made a stop during the journey to collect 90 packages of cocaine, totaling 198 pounds. He then concealed the wrapped bundles in a specially adapted compartment in the truck's back doors.
The street value of the cocaine was estimated to be approximately $8.4 million, investigators determined.
The Skims shipment was legitimate, and neither the exporter nor the importer of the clothing was involved in the smuggling operation, officials added.
Confession and Motive
Konkel initially denied any knowledge of the cocaine stash but eventually confessed to agreeing to smuggle the drugs for 4,500 Euros, roughly $5,276.
“These drugs destroy lives and inflict misery on our communities,” 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.”
“We continue to work round the clock to relentlessly pursue criminality, protect our borders, and keep these dangerous drugs off our streets,” he added.
