James O'Connor and Ali Williams could be jailed for five years if found guilty of buying cocaine.

The two former Test players were arrested by policemen from the Anti-Crime Brigade after they’d allegedly been spotted giving €200 to two drug dealers outside a Paris nightclub at 3am over the weekend.

French correspondent Catherine Field told Newstalk ZB's Rachel Smalley that the case is now with the state prosecutor, who will decide whether to make an example of Williams and O'Connor.

'[The prosecutor] will now decide whether this will be a case that will be fast-tracked through the courts, because it was such a small amount and for personal use, or whether it will be a larger court appearance, simply because both Williams and O'Connor are public names here in France, and are seen as role models for lots of people,' said Field.

'French law does not make any distinction between the different type of drugs. As far as French law is concerned, it's just as bad, whether you have got cannabis, cocaine or heroine.

'It doesn't distinguish, either, between personal use or trafficking. The only place that comes into play is when the sentence is handed down.'

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At the bottom end of the scale, culprits might be required to attend a drug awareness course or perhaps a year in prison, plus a small fine.

'On the other hand, and this might come into play in this case, the French legal system actually has a special case where, if you are caught with these drugs in a public place, then your fine gets larger and so does everything that comes with it,' said Field.

'The police have been cracking down in the last five years on these types of drugs, particularly in nightclubs, so they may decide to go for the bigger one, which is the possibility of five years in prison and the much bigger fine of $NZ110,000.'

Photo: Thibaiud Moritz/AFP Photo