An appeals court in France on Thursday acquitted two French pilots who were found guilty of involvement in a major drugs bust in the Dominican Republic in 2013.

In what has become known as the "Air Cocaine" case, two men had been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to smuggle 600 kilograms (1,500 pounds) of drug out of the country.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/honduras-police-unearth-15-tonnes-of-buried-cocaine-383450">Honduras police unearth 1.5 tonnes of buried cocaine</a>

It has long been alleged that Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos were aware of the cocaine being carried on board, something that they continue to deny.

During the trial, a key figure who has not appealed his own conviction claimed that the two pilots were "conned".&nbsp; &nbsp;

Both pilots were freed, but the court upheld the sentences of&nbsp;Ali Bouchareb, the man accused of masterminding the drug trafficking ring and&nbsp;the&nbsp;aviation company's&nbsp;directors.

The drugs were discovered by Dominican police at the&nbsp;Dominican beach resort of Punta Cana&nbsp;as a Falcon 50 jet was preparing to fly to Saint-Tropez in the south of France. The drugs were packed into 26 suitcases on board the jet.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-woman-arrested-after-cocaine-hidden-in-sole-of-shoes-found-in-airport-382864">US: Woman arrested after cocaine hidden in sole of shoes found in airport</a>

The two pilots while out on bail, fled from the Dominican Republic under mysterious circumstances and fled to French territory in the Caribbean. They were arrested on their return to Paris after returning to the French mainland in November 2015.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

An appeals court in France on Thursday acquitted two French pilots who were found guilty of involvement in a major drugs bust in the Dominican Republic in 2013. In what has become known as the "Air Cocaine" case, two men had been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to smuggle 600 kilograms (1,500 pounds) of drug out of the country.

An appeals court in France on Thursday acquitted two French pilots who were found guilty of involvement in a major drugs bust in the Dominican Republic in 2013. In what has become known as the "Air Cocaine" case, two men had been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to smuggle 600 kilograms (1,500 pounds) of drug out of the country. Also read | Honduras police unearth 1.5 tonnes of buried cocaine It has long been alleged that Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos were aware of the cocaine being carried on board, something that they continue to deny. During the trial, a key figure who has not appealed his own conviction claimed that the two pilots were "conned". Both pilots were freed, but the court upheld the sentences of Ali Bouchareb, the man accused of masterminding the drug trafficking ring and the aviation company's directors. The drugs were discovered by Dominican police at the Dominican beach resort of Punta Cana as a Falcon 50 jet was preparing to fly to Saint-Tropez in the south of France. The drugs were packed into 26 suitcases on board the jet. Also read | US: Woman arrested after cocaine hidden in sole of shoes found in airport The two pilots while out on bail, fled from the Dominican Republic under mysterious circumstances and fled to French territory in the Caribbean. They were arrested on their return to Paris after returning to the French mainland in November 2015. (With inputs from agencies)

Air cocaine case: 8 years later, accused pilots acquitted of all charges

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Air cocaine case: 8 years later, accused pilots acquitted of all charges