Story highlights The men conspired to smuggle nearly a ton of cocaine into the United States

Sentencing is set for March

(CNN) Two nephews of Venezuela's first lady, Cilia Flores, have been convicted in US federal court for conspiring to smuggle more than 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds) of cocaine into the United States.

Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, 31, and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, 30, were convicted Friday at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in Lower Manhattan. Judge Paul Crotty presided over the trial, which began November 7.

a year ago in a collaborative operation between the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Haitian equivalent, BLTS. The two men were apprehended in Haiti and transported to New York a year ago in a collaborative operation between the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Haitian equivalent, BLTS.

In January, Flores, the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, said her nephews had been "kidnapped" by the DEA for political reasons.

Venezuelan officials have not yet commented on the verdict.

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