Kim Kardashian is distancing herself and her brand from a multimillion-dollar drug smuggling case after British authorities confirmed that nearly $9.5 million worth of cocaine was discovered hidden inside a truck transporting legitimate SKIMS merchandise. The case drew international attention this week after the driver involved was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison 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 by ferry from the Netherlands. Officials said the truck was carrying 28 pallets of authentic SKIMS underwear and apparel, but investigators later uncovered 90 one-kilogram packages of cocaine concealed inside specially modified rear trailer doors.
Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs at roughly £7.2 million, or about $9.4 million. Investigators said the fashion shipment itself was entirely legitimate and that neither the exporter nor importer had any connection to the narcotics operation. Konkel eventually admitted he agreed to transport the drugs for approximately 4,500 Euros after initially denying knowledge of the hidden cargo.
Founded in 2019, SKIMS has expanded beyond shapewear into loungewear, menswear, swimwear, and major collaborations with professional sports leagues and athletes. The company was most recently valued in the billions during private fundraising rounds.
In a statement to TMZ, a SKIMS representative firmly pushed back against any implication that the company was involved in the operation. “SKIMS is aware of the recent news involving a shipment with our products,” the statement 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.”
The National Crime Agency said investigators determined the drugs were likely loaded during an undeclared 16-minute stop recorded on the truck’s tachograph data.
NCA operations manager Paul Orchard said organized crime groups often exploit legitimate commercial shipments to move narcotics across borders, adding that the seizure prevented a significant quantity of cocaine from reaching communities throughout the U.K.
Konkel was sentenced on Monday, May 18, at Chelmsford Crown Court to 13 years and six months in prison.
