1.   A high-level police source said it was likely the envoys concerned had nothing to do with the alleged smuggling but had been duped by Thai smugglers.

2.   Iran denies any government role in the alleged smuggling and says it had seized ships flying Iranian flags believed involved in smuggling.

3.   It did not say when Truong left the police force or give details of his alleged smuggling operation.

4.   It was later spotted in the port of Shanwei in south China, where the captain was reportedly being questioned about alleged smuggling.

5.   Jia ran the government and Communist Party in Fujian, the province where Xiamen is located, for several of the years in which the alleged smuggling took place.

6.   Last week, it turned out to have been impounded in a southern Chinese port, where the captain was reportedly being questioned about alleged smuggling.

7.   South Korean newspapers did not say when the alleged smuggling took place.

8.   The Essex is currently docked in Curacao, in the Netherlands Antilles, and the Dutch government is investigating the alleged smuggling.

9.   The news agency report did not say whether anyone has been charged in connection with the alleged smuggling.

10.   The report comes amid strife between Russia and Germany over alleged smuggling of Russian radioactive materials into Germany.