Many religious organizations, including fundamentalist groups like the Lubaviches, who were widely viewed as the guardians of moral values, do not place much importance on the drug problem. Some of their spiritual leaders, who also lead political parties, are protected by parliamentary immunity while they are wanted by European and American authorities. Thus some of the cocaine that arrives safely in Tel Aviv by plane is ultimately destined for the chic Christian neighborhoods of Beirut. The director of one of these Beirut-based companies, Kasshan B., told the OGD's special envoy that cocaine, which originally reached Beirut via Turkey, now transits the airports of Tel Aviv, Damascus and, to a lesser extent, Amman. Regarding security forces in the two latter countries, as well as in Israel, Kasshan said that the key to making a risk-free run simply entailed being known to customs agents.
Cocaine is the only drug that transits Israel toward other markets.
All other drug imports are basically destined for the rapidly-growing Israeli market. Forty years later, the truth is that prostitution, money laundering, drug consumption and trafficking are assuming worrying proportions throughout the land. The inadequate training indeed, corruption of neighborhood police is another sign of deterioration. They saw dealers distributing bags of cannabis in front of the local police station, and other drugs being sold along the street and in bars. Following this media exposure, the press has reported several scandals in which police have either shaken down dealers or extorted the cash and valuables of suspects when arrested.