I disagree with you, links are not that long to share. It is a bit more time consuming obviously, but everyone can choose whether to read quickly or really dive in the sources. I see a lot of people doing it today on internet. I see a lot of people doing it in casual conversation (opening a book or internet to check smthg). It’s not evidence, it’s hints to avoid launching a whole discussion that entirely lies or bullshit (or not).

Here are some links I found about smuggled chips.

• Reuters : Deepseek said they used legally imported old and new nvidia chips (H800 and H20s). There are suspicions and investigations about illegal smuggling of banned from export nvidia chips, targeting directly Deepseek. One CEO of an american AI startup said it is likely Deepseek used smuggled chips.
• The Diplomat : exactly the same, citing directly Reuters. Adds that H800 (now banned from export) and H20s were designed by Nvidia specially for the chinese market. Adds that smuggling could go through Singapore, which leaped from 9% to 22% of Nvidia revenues in 2 years. Nvidia and Singapore representatives deny.
• Foxbusiness : same.

So it is likely there are smuggled chips in china if we believe this. Now to say they have been used by Deepseek and even more, that they have been decisive is still very unclear.