Kim Kardashian is reportedly separating herself and her SKIMS brand from a massive drug trafficking investigation after British officials confirmed that close to $9.5 million worth of cocaine was found hidden inside a truck carrying legitimate SKIMS products. The case grabbed worldwide attention this week after the driver received a prison sentence of more than 13 years in the United Kingdom.
According to the U.K.’s National Crime Agency, Polish truck driver Jakub Jan Konkel was stopped by Border Force officers at the Port of Harwich in Essex in September 2025 after arriving on a ferry from the Netherlands. Authorities said the truck contained 28 pallets of authentic SKIMS underwear and clothing, but investigators later discovered 90 one-kilogram cocaine packages concealed inside specially altered rear trailer doors.
Authorities estimated the drugs had a street value of around £7.2 million, which is roughly $9.4 million. Investigators clarified that the fashion shipment was completely legitimate, and neither the exporter nor importer was linked to the drug trafficking scheme. After first denying any awareness of the concealed narcotics, Konkel later admitted he agreed to transport them for about 4,500 Euros.
Launched in 2019, SKIMS has grown far beyond shapewear, branching into loungewear, menswear, swimwear, and high-profile collaborations with professional athletes and sports leagues. The brand was recently valued at billions during private funding rounds.
Speaking to TMZ, a SKIMS spokesperson strongly denied any involvement in the incident. “SKIMS is aware of the recent news involving a shipment with our products,” the statement read. “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.”
According to the National Crime Agency, investigators believe the drugs were loaded onto the truck during an unreported 16-minute stop that appeared in the vehicle’s tachograph records.
NCA operations manager Paul Orchard explained that organized crime groups frequently use legitimate commercial shipments to smuggle narcotics across borders. He added that the seizure stopped a large amount of cocaine from making its way into communities across the U.K.
Konkel was sentenced to 13 years and six months behind bars on Monday, May 18, at Chelmsford Crown Court.
