As Netflix dives into the tale of four apprehended drug smugglers in Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30000 Ft, here is the truth about the remarkable case and what happened to those involved in the aftermath. Created by Oliver Bouchara and directed by Maxime Bonnet and Jerome Pierrat, the French three-episode limited series interviewed the vehicle’s two pilots, lawmakers, and politicians to truly unpack the events of the case from all perspectives to unveil the truth. The full Netflix documentary series was released on the streaming service on June 11, 2025.
While the arrests happened in 2013, the entire saga of the subjects of the documentary lasted for eight years, during which two previously-convicted suspects were acquitted in 2021 and had their names cleared of intentional wrongdoing. The case of Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30000 Ft involves supposed wrongful arrests, a staggering amount of drugs, and a complicated extraction of the suspects from the Dominican Republic to France. As such, despite being a highly-reported case, much of the documentary can seem like a high-stakes plot that could easily fit at home in a Hollywood blockbuster.
Pilots Pascal Fauret & Bruno Odos Were Arrested In March 2013 After 26 Suitcases Of Cocaine Were Discovered On Their Plane
The Pair Had A Highly Prestigious Career Before Their Arrests
Having met during their service in the French military, involved in major roles such as nuclear weapon delivery, and with no prior criminal activity, pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos’ careers did not leave the impression that they could be criminals. Having moved into business aviation piloting as they neared retirement age, the pair were recruited by S.N.T.H.S. to serve as pilots on a private Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft owned by French businessman Alain Afflelou. During this career, Fauret stated that few questions were raised about whom or what they’d be flying.
Ultimately, this lack of discretion would lead to the pair being apprehended by authorities at the Punta Cana Airport in the Dominican Republic on March 20, 2013, as 1,500 pounds of cocaine were discovered spread among 26 suitcases on board their vessel. With a cargo of illegal substances worth $20 million, it did not take long for the authorities to take those involved into custody. As such, Fauret, Odos, and their two passengers, Alain Castany and Nicolas Pisapia, were taken in to be placed on trial.
Why Investigators Believed The Pilots Knew About The Real Cargo On Board
The Flight’s Crew Avoided Following Expected Procedures
As investigators dived further into the case, several questioned whether the two pilots were more involved than they claimed not to be, according to examining magistrate Christine Saunier-Ruellan. Alongside Fauret and Odod, Castany and Pisapia claimed to have been unaware of the cargo, refuting claims of ownership of the unusual suitcases. Furthermore, while she had seen her fair share of strange flights through her time in the private flying sector, air stewardess Elise Faitout had stated that she had been dismissed from servicing the flight just the day prior to take-off, a rarity for a journey of its length.
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When Saunier-Ruellan made the flight to interview both pilots across a 12-hour session, Fauret states that he immediately suspected that she doubted their tales. Both pilots stated that they had no inclination to question or investigate the cargo themselves out of fear of legal repercussions, but Saunier-Ruellan also questioned why neither grew suspicious of the weight of the bags or the smell they carried. When paired with Pisapia’s alibi of having real estate business dealings in the Dominican Republic not holding up, and Castany’s claim of being an additional pilot failing to live up to scrutiny, all claims of innocence were doubted.
Lawyer Eric le Francois attempted to clear Fauret and Odos’ names, though casting suspicion on the intentions of the Dominican National Drug Council and whether they had set up the case to either raise their reputation as effective crime-stoppers or clear reports on their own corruption. As their hopes of a fair trial diminished under the Dominican Authorities during their trial, the four suspects were declared guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Though the pilots assumed they were sentenced to life in prison, they were soon placed on parole and house arrest, required to attend monthly meetings.
Fauret & Odos’ Escape To France, Trial & Acquittal Explained
The Pair’s Escape Involved Aid From Former Allies, Politicians, and Ex-Soldiers
Efforts were made by French citizens to campaign to bring them home, and caused much debate among French politicians and media voices. As they appealed their sentence, their story caught the attention of Christophe Naudin, aviation safety expert and acquaintance of Fauret, who doubted their potential involvement, working with former MEP (Member of European Parliament) Aymeric Chauprade to use his familiarity with the nation to help. When diplomatic discussion failed, the two met the pilots during their parole in the Dominican Republic, where they shared their own ideas for an escape plan.
Chaupraude was a member of the far-right French National Front party and saw some potential political capital that could be gained from being involved, though his involvement reportedly played a part in his expulsion in 2015.
As they felt their options were dwindling, Fauret and Odos agreed to be extracted from the island. After plans for a helicopter extraction were quickly scrapped, the pair chose to aid the pair through an extraction by sea. Recruiting former soldier and parliamentary assistant Pierre Malinowski to help organise the mission, while Chauprade and Naudin handled the cover story and alibis. The two pilots departed from the port of Bayahibe on a hired fishing boat under the cover of a tourist outing that would take them to international waters, where they would be transferred to Naudin’s vessel.
Castany was not included in the extraction due to being hospitalized during the mission window, while Pisapia claimed to be following the law when fighting to prove his innocence by deciding to stay. Though Naudin claims in the documentary that he was a liability to the mission, pushing them to exclude him.
After evading Dominican naval patrols, threatening their gradually suspicious boat driver to continue with the vessel, and seaweed bringing their speedboat to a close and forcing Naudin to enter Dominican international waters, the pair were transferred over to the sailboat. After making their way to French territories, the group boarded an undisclosed flight to France, and arrived back in the nation. Though they had escaped the Dominican authorities and had caught media attention across the globe, the pilots still had to stand trial for not only their initial charges and their escape.
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Placed into preventive detention and faced with further questioning by Saunier-Ruellan, the pair were faced with further evidence that cast doubt on their innocence. The magistrate disclosed that Fauret, Odos, and Pisapia had not only been witnessed on previous suspicious flights where unusual cargo had been witnessed, but had been together on two prior flights that underwent the same journey as the one they were arrested for. This prior activity had already initiated its own investigation by San Tropez authorities, who were prepared to arrest the suspects before they were taken into Dominican custody.
As the investigation continued, S.N.T.H.S. co-owners Fabrice Alcoud and Pierre-Marc Dreyfus were drawn into the investigation, as their business dealings raised questions about their involvement.
As the investigation continued, S.N.T.H.S. co-owners Fabrice Alcoud and Pierre-Marc Dreyfus were drawn into the investigation, as their business dealings raised questions about their involvement. This also revealed that former president Nicholas Sarkozy could also have been involved in the potential drug trafficking operations. In 2019, as the French trial began, Fauret’s unawareness of the cargo was further called into question, as his search history and texting history hinted he was aware of what he was transporting.
Ultimately, the French trial concluded with Fauret and Odos being sentenced to six years in prison alongside Alcoud and Dreyfus for their involvement in transporting the drugs, while logistics coordinator and alleged drug kingpin Frank Colin was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and backer Ali Bouchareb received an 18-year sentence. However, two years into their sentence, Fauret and Odos were acquitted during an appeal in 2021, as their legal representatives presented the court with 19 questions highlighting flaws in the opposing arguments.
Did The Pilots Know About The Cargo?
The Case Is Left As A Subject Of Further Discussion
Once the documentary concludes, Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30000 Ft leaves it to audiences to determine whether Fauret and Odos are truly innocent. Saunier-Ruellan stands by her evidence implicating the pair, while Dominican authorities continue to hold out international arrest warrants for those involved in the case and escape, which led to Naudin’s two-year prison sentence in 2024. As such, the story of “Cocaine Air” may not be over.
Castany and Pissapia are still serving their sentences, with the former ending his participation in the production after two sessions.
For viewers, however, it is clear that the Netflix documentary does not wish to take a side. Those who participated in the events who were willing to take part were given the chance to make their arguments, while each episode begins with a disclaimer that not all parties are being truthful. By bringing further international attention to the case, Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30000 Ft may prompt further discussions about whether Fauret and Odos were careless or clued in on the flight’s purpose.
