Bank of China says no comment on report of alleged illicit financial links to North Korea

SHANGHAI, China (AP) - The Bank of China declined to comment Thursday on a report it is being investigated by U.S. authorities for alleged connections to an illicit North Korean network believed to raise funds for Pyongyang's nuclear programme. 

The Asian Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the state-run Bank of China and two banks based in the former Portuguese enclave of Macau were believed to have links to North Korean syndicates producing narcotics, counterfeit U.S. currency and fake cigarettes.