Luca Brecel’s WAG faces prison sentence for alleged drug gang role | Other | Sport

Snooker star Luca Brecel’s girlfriend is set to go on trial and faces a possible prison sentence for her alleged role in a cocaine drug gang. Laura Vanoverberghe, who began dating the 2023 world champion last year, is claimed to have broken the law in their native Belgium prior to the start of their relationship.

The 25-year-old was arrested last September on drug dealing charges. According to prosecutor Lode Vandaele, she initially worked as a distributor but began taking a more senior position in the illegal organisation in 2022.

He told the court: “At first she was a driver for the gang, later she took on a more organising role. A bank investigation showed that no less than €35,000 (£29.7k) had been deposited into her account by customers.”

Ms Vanoverberghe may now face a suspended prison term of 37 months. The leaders of the gang, meanwhile, could be set for up to five years behind bars.

An investigation into ‘The C-team’ was launched two years ago when one of those in charge, a 31-year-old named in court as Wayan Z, was pulled over by police for inappropriate driving. De Telegraaf report officers found cannabis as well as cocaine, weapons such as brass knuckles and a Rambo knife, and Ms Vanoverberghe.

She was sleeping on a mattress in the vehicle at the time. It was later determined Wayan Z headed up a gang that sold multiple drugs on a large scale. “They operated under the name C-Team and obtained their merchandise in the Netherlands,” said Mr Vandaele.

Ms Vanoverberghe, who was bailed following her arrest, wishes to be in attendance for her trial next month, her counsel declared. She’s currently living with her sporting boyfriend in Maasmechelen, eastern Belgium.

The pair were seen embracing after Brecel’s triumph at the Crucible a little over 12 months ago. He famously claimed to have not practiced before the World Championship and has since splashed the majority of his £500,000 winnings, explaining he needed financial motivation to restore his form on the felt.