Paris.- French authorities onTuesday said France is not involved in last week´s escape of two French pilots fromthe Dominican Republic, where they were awaiting a sentence up to 20 years inprison for drug trafficking.
"We note thereturn to France of our two compatriots. Their decision is an individual actwhich the State isn’t involved in the absolute," the Foreign Ministry saidin a statement read by a spokesman.
FILE. Former French Navy commandos pulled an escapefrom Dominican Republic with two pilots from that country who were under housearrest on the Caribbean island, serving a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking,Efe reports.
French media report Mondaythat the two pilots, who were barred from leaving Dominican Republic are already in France.
Pascal Jean Fauret andBruno Odos were arrested along with two other Frenchmen at Punta Cana airport inMarch 2013 as they were about to take off for Saint-Tropez on a Falcon in whichDominican authorities found 700 kg of cocaine valued at 30 million euros.
Though the pilots claimedat all times being unaware of the contents of 26 suitcases, the NationalDistrict 1st Appellate Court found them guilty ofdrug traffickingand sentenced them to 20 years in prison.
Fauret and Odos werearrested along with crew member Alain Castany and passenger Nicolas Pisapia March20, 2013, when they were about to take off from the airport of Punta Cana on Falcon50 jet.
Over 40 military, PuntaCana airport security and customs agents were arrested in the case, although only10 of which were indicted.
BFMTV reports thatthe two pilots were taken to a ship that near the Dominican Republic island andtaken to and specified French possession, likely Guadeloupe or Martinique.
From there they wereflown to Paris, the outlet said, adding that Odos´ and Fauret´s arrest isimminent.