1.   Customs officials claim to have uncovered a major drug-trafficking ring.

2.   Government officials are claiming that the health care available here is of a much higher standard than in neighbouring countries.

3.   Officials claim the chemical poses no real threat.

4.   The embassy official claimed diplomatic immunity and was later released.

5.   Public health officials have claimed that the chemical is harmless in such minuscule amounts.

6.   The official claimed that Petrauskas had received orders from Moscow to release Butkevicius.

7.   Armenian officials claimed that tanks, heavy artillery and helicopters had been deployed.

8.   Officials claimed that large numbers of weapons had been found in various towns.

9.   An ODA official claimed that the department was unaware that the project was as environmentally sensitive as now seems to be the case.

10.   In a sombre forecast, a World Health Organisation official claimed AIDS was still in its early stages.