Two men jailed over attempt to smuggle drugs to Boardmasters Festival
Devon and Cornwall police uncovered a stash of MDMA, ketamine, and other drugs after stopping a van near Bodmin last year.
Two men have been jailed after being caught with a large quantity of illegal drugs while travelling to the Boardmasters music festival in Cornwall.
Levi Bethune-Jones, 37, and Luke Belcher, 36, both from Birmingham, were stopped by police on the A30 near Bodmin in August 2024. Officers carried out a search of their van and discovered a hidden stash of drugs.
Among the items seized were:
411 2CB tablets
225 MDMA tablets
174 grams of ketamine
70 grams of cannabis resin
31 grams of herbal cannabis
137 grams of magic mushrooms
Two boxes of nitrous oxide canisters
Police also recovered £1,680 in cash. The money has since been confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Bethune-Jones, of Sandford Road, Birmingham, denied the charges but was found guilty of five counts of possession with intent to supply Class A, B, and C drugs after a trial at Truro Crown Court in April 2025. He was sentenced to three years and eight months in prison.
Belcher, of Willows Road, Birmingham, admitted the same five charges and was sentenced to three years in prison.
A third man was also charged in connection with the case but was acquitted.
All three men were dealt with at Truro Crown Court, where sentencing took place on 26 June before His Honour Judge Hadden.
Detective Inspector Claire Nicholls said:
“We are pleased that not only were these drugs located and seized but also that the two men who had intent to sell them have been dealt with by the courts.
“We hope this acts as a deterrent to anyone thinking of taking advantage of the young demographic of Cornwall’s largest festival- we will not tolerate drug crime and we will take robust action.
“We will always endeavour to keep our communities safe and protected from a variety of crime including drug trafficking and encourage anyone with information which may help us, to report it.”
Boardmasters Festival, which attracts tens of thousands of attendees each year, operates a strict no-drugs policy in line with UK law.
Rob Spring, Festival Director for Boardmasters, said:
“Boardmasters operates a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs and substances in line with UK law. We are extremely grateful to Devon & Cornwall Police for working alongside us to help prevent such activity at the festival.
“Their continued partnership plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of our customers, staff, artists, and the wider community. We fully support the efforts of law enforcement to keep illegal substances out of the event and off our roads, and we work closely with all local authorities throughout planning and delivery to provide a secure environment before, during, and after the show.”
Drug detection dogs are in operation at all main entrances to the festival, and searches are a condition of entry. Anyone found with illegal substances may be refused entry, removed from the site, and reported to police.