Police have dug up a huge stash of illegal drugs buried underground ahead of Creamfields festival, just days before the festival kicks off.
Gates to the Cheshire festival open for the 2026 edition on Thursday (August 27), and it is expected to see over 80,000 fans visit across the weekend.
Local police have now revealed that they have found a huge stash of drugs buried at the festival site, including 204 canisters of laughing gas (nitrous oxide), and bags containing ketamine tablets, MDMA and ecstasy.
The drugs were found in a pre-event search of the grounds, and superintendent Andy Blizard shared a statement, saying that it has become a regular thing for punters to try and hide illegal drugs at the site ahead of the festival starting.
“Every year, we counter a number of brazen individuals who think they can outsmart us by concealing drugs from view or burying them at the site months in advance,” he shared (as per BBC News), adding that there is a “zero-tolerance policy regarding drugs”.
Police dig up buried stash of drugs in Creamfields grounds. Read more 👇https://t.co/DD8SDMoCpt pic.twitter.com/wGnBRjSI61
— Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & North West News (@GHRLiverpool) August 24, 2026
The officer also clarified that there would be more searching of the site from police in the next few days, meaning that “many of those who chose to bury these items” will be “very much disappointed to find them no longer where they left them”.
He also clarified that police will be onsite at Creamfields alongside security staff, and that anyone who would like to get back their rucksack that they buried should “get in contact with us”.
Artists on the Creamfields 2026 bill include Eric Prydz, Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, Alesso, Martin Garrix, Tiësto and Disclosure.
This isn’t the first time that police have confirmed that they have found illegal drugs stashed ahead of a big music event. Back in 2024, addiction counsellors claimed that Oasis fans “stashed drugs” in Manchester’s Heaton Park ahead of the 2025 reunion shows.
At the time, drug and alcohol rehab facility Providence Project said that they had spoken to members of the addiction community, “who have told us they have already stashed drugs in the park”, adding they “would warn organisers to be vigilant.” They went on to say people had bragged about various plans to smuggle drugs into the show, including using glow sticks, toys, merchandise and plaster casts to conceal them.
Liam Gallagher also spoke about the news and gave a characteristically jovial response, saying: “I did it years ago when I went to see the pope in HP it’s not a new thing.”