Interpol seeks arrest of 'Air Cocaine' French lawmaker

Interpol has issued arrest warrants against three French nationals, including a far-right member of the European Parliament, accused of helping two French pilots flee the Dominican Republican after being convicted of drug trafficking. The trio are accused of helping organize the escape of Pascal Fauret and co-pilot Bruno Odos in October following their convictions in the so-called "Air Cocaine" drug trafficking case. Dominican prosecutors made the request to Interpol for the arrest warrants for politician Aymeric Chauprade and two others, Christophe Naudin and Pierre Malinowski. "The French nationals are accused of violating the law" on smuggling migrants and trafficking of persons, Dominican prosecutors said Friday, announcing the Interpol action. The pilots had been on conditional release and were barred from leaving the Dominican Republic while waiting for their appeal to be heard over their sentence to 20 years in prison for a shipment of 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Two other men convicted with them, Nicolas Pisapia and Alain Castany, remain in the Dominican Republic. France has suggested the pilots will not be extradited. Fauret and Odos were arrested in March 2013 along with the two other men as they were about to take off from the Dominican resort of Punta Cana. All four deny they knew that the drugs were on board the plane.