The Vanuatu prime minister, Sato Kilman, has reportedly asked his foreign minister to transfer to him the power to make diplomatic appointments.
An advisor to the prime minister has told Radio Australia that Mr Kilman had put this to Alfred Carlot amid police investigations into alleged violation of immigration rules in connection with last month's arrival and arrest of the yacht, Phocea.
The opposition says it has information that Vanuatu diplomatic passports were given to some people on board the yacht before the police raid in Port Vila harbour.
The advisor says Mr Kilman is aware which government minister was involved in making diplomatic appointments defying his instructions earlier this year that they needed to be approved by the council of ministers.
There has been a news blackout for about a week, with information only to be released by Mr Kilman, but who has left for London.
A senior police officer, who says drugs were smuggled onto the boat while it was in Port Vila, has been suspended from duty over the Phocea probe.
The yacht is reportedly owned by Vanuatu's nominee as honorary consul to Vietnam, Anh Quan Saken, who became a citizen this year.
