Content Advisory: This article discusses drug smuggling, cocaine seizure, organized crime, and a prison sentence. Reader discretion is advised.
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS has been pulled into a major smuggling case after authorities said a shipment of the brand’s clothing was used to hide millions of dollars worth of cocaine.
A truck carrying legitimate SKIMS products was stopped at the Port of Harwich in Essex, United Kingdom, on Sept. 5, 2025. The vehicle had arrived by ferry from Hook of Holland in the Netherlands and was carrying 28 pallets of SKIMS clothing.
The shipment itself was real. Authorities said neither SKIMS, the exporter, nor the importer was connected to the criminal operation.
Still, what officers found inside the truck turned the routine delivery into a major drug bust.
SKIMS Shipment Used In Cocaine Smuggling Attempt
According to the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, Border Force officers scanned the truck and noticed irregularities in the trailer’s construction.
A later search uncovered a hidden compartment built into the rear trailer doors. Inside, officers found 90 packages of cocaine. Each package weighed about two pounds.
Authorities estimated the drugs were worth 7.2 million euros, or roughly $8.4 million. Some reports have rounded the value closer to $9 million.
SKIMS later issued a statement making clear the company had no involvement.
“SKIMS is aware of the recent news involving a shipment with our products,” the company said. “We want to be absolutely clear: SKIMS had no knowledge whatsoever about this criminal activity. We had no connection to the smuggling operation, the driver, or the truck.”
Driver Sentenced To More Than 13 Years
The driver was identified as 40-year-old Jakub Jan Konkel from Kartuzy in northern Poland.
Authorities said he initially denied involvement but later pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges. Investigators claimed Konkel agreed to transport the cocaine in exchange for 4,500 euros.
He was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court to 13 years and six months in prison.
Investigators also reviewed tracking data from the journey and found a 16-minute stop Konkel allegedly failed to report during questioning. Officials believe the drugs were loaded during that stop with the knowledge of both the driver and the organized crime network behind the operation.
Authorities Say Criminal Groups Exploit Legitimate Shipments
Law enforcement officials said the case shows how organized crime groups use legitimate freight routes and commercial supply chains to move illegal drugs across borders.
“Organised 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.
He added that the seizure stopped a large amount of cocaine from reaching communities and disrupted profits for the criminal network involved.
For SKIMS, the case is an unwanted headline attached to a shipment the company says it had no reason to suspect. For authorities, it is another example of how even ordinary brand deliveries can be used as cover for high-value smuggling operations.
