Refused or declined to smuggle dope from the east (9)

'refused' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being past participle verbs.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'declined to smuggle dope from the east' is the wordplay.
'declined' becomes 'abated'.
'to smuggle' means one lot of letters goes inside another (smuggle can mean to secretly carry).
'dope' becomes 'gen' (both can mean information).
'from the east' says the letters should be written backwards (on a map from right to left).
'gen' written backwards gives 'neg'.
'abated' going around 'neg' is 'ABNEGATED'.

'or' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?