A Liverpool man who sold 'pink cocaine' at the Creamfields festival has been sentenced to three years and eight months in prison. Jack Styles, 25, of Dylan Close in Walton, was caught by security personnel at the arena search area of the festival. Bouncers discovered cash and a bag of drugs, prompting Styles to attempt to flee when police arrived. However, he was apprehended, and drugs, cash, and his mobile phone were seized.
Drugs Found and Their Values
The confiscated substances included cocaine valued between £180 and £300, pink cocaine (also known as Tusi) worth £200, ecstasy valued between £100 and £200, and ketamine valued at £80. Styles pleaded guilty earlier this month to multiple charges, including possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (cocaine and MDMA), possession with intent to supply a Class B drug (ketamine), and being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug (Tusi). He appeared at Chester Crown Court on June 10 for sentencing.
Police Warning Ahead of Creamfields 2026
PC Victoria Adamson of Cheshire Police issued a stern warning: “As we approach Creamfields 2026, I hope this sentencing serves as a warning to those planning to sell drugs at the event. It is simply not worth the risk. You too could face a significant time in jail.”
What Is Pink Cocaine?
Pink cocaine, also referred to as tusi or tucibi, originated in Colombia around the mid-2010s and arrived in the UK around 2020. Despite its name, it typically does not contain cocaine. Instead, it is a mixture of ketamine, MDMA, and caffeine. It is also distinct from the psychedelic drug 2C-B, despite the similar name.
The drug gained notoriety after reports that former One Direction star Liam Payne had it in his system when he died from a fall at a hotel in Buenos Aires. In February, Harry Sumnall, Professor of Substance Use at Liverpool John Moores University, explained to the ECHO that dealers are repurposing excess ketamine into pink cocaine as a deliberate marketing strategy. He said: “As social attitudes potentially shift against ketamine, drug sellers may be using this as a way to profit from remaining stock. People are always interested in the next drug product. Brand-new chemicals rarely come onto the market or dominate it. Instead, you see existing drugs being repackaged, such as different designs on ecstasy tablets or crystal MDMA. We are now seeing ketamine being repurposed as pink cocaine.”
Risks of Pink Cocaine
Professor Sumnall added: “As with any drug on the illicit market, you cannot be sure of the purity or identity. Energy Control’s advice is that every gram of pink cocaine should be considered different from the last because the market is so dynamic. Users might take a batch without adverse effects, but the next one could be a completely different and dangerous mixture.”
