North Korea, banned from selling arms by U.N. sanctions, may have gambled and lost when it dispatched 35 tons of weapons by air rather than by sea as it has done in the past. Authorities seized the plane, which may have been bound for Iran, during a refueling stop in Thailand.

The 11-day saga, spanning the globe from Pyongyang to Azerbaijan to the Thai capital, remains shrouded in mystery and missing pieces, including the final destination of the Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane now under Thai custody along with its five-man crew.

Among difficulties facing investigators is a fly-by-night infrastructure seemingly rigged up for the flight, including a Hong Kong-based company reportedly involved which was only incorporated Nov. 2 and whose director could not be traced there or at his address in Spain.

But experts in South Korea say one thing appears clear: North Korea is seeking new ways to bust through a U.S.-led interdiction program of its arms sales.

"They must have experienced difficulties finding ships to transport cargo because of U.N. sanctions," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at Seoul's University of North Korean Studies. "I believe this surely made North Korea realize that it is under great surveillance from all directions regardless of whether it's a sea or air route, and that it won't be easy to sell weapons."

Another analyst, Cha Du-hyeon at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses, said that North Korea's attempt at the air shipment suggested that the regime was taking chances to meet a delivery deadline, as transport by sea was heavily scrutinized.

The seizure was the first known of arms sent by air. There have been several of sea borne weaponry. Analysts said the Bangkok seizure would likely deter some potential buyers of North Korean weapons.

In Bangkok, Police Col. Supisarn Police said investigators have so far found no evidence that the aircraft was bound for Iran, contradicting a report from arms trafficking experts.

Separately, the five crew members insisted their final destination was Sri Lanka and not Iran, their lawyer said after visiting the jailed men, who also say they had no idea they were carrying weapons.

Defense attorney Somsak Saithong told The Associated Press the crew also denied any knowledge of accused international weapons trafficker Victor Bout, who is in the same prison battling extradition to the United States on terrorism charges.

"They told me they don't know Victor Bout," Somsak said. He quoted the five men _ four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus _ as saying their flight plan called for a refueling stop in Bangkok before flying on to Sri Lanka. They have been charged with illegal arms possession.