More likely "it's said" - a claim that some unspecified people said something, expressed using a phrase people often interpret to mean "it is generally believed

More likely "it's said" - a claim that some unspecified people said something, expressed using a phrase people often interpret to mean "it is generally believed that..." or "there is a saying that goes...". GP sarcastically said sure "it's said" that x occurred, I heard it all the time as I was growing up. It's not good journalism. If someone said something, say who said it. If it's an anonymous source say so. "It's said..." in an article like this means "I vaguely think this has been said somewhere but I can't be bothered to check or quote my sources".