There are some small farms in the Baalbek-Hermel region which are still engaged in illicit cultivation, but they appear to be few in number. When such farms are discovered, authorities make arrests immediately and eradicate the crops. There were no other reported eradication efforts during the year. Although local authorities deny money laundering is a serious problem, Lebanon still presents itself to narcotics traffickers as a venue for money laundering due to bank secrecy laws, which do not allow for official discovery.
Corruption is common within Lebanese law enforcement agencies.
In March 1996, the GOL acceded to the 1988 UN Convention, but expressed formal reservations regarding certain provisions of the Convention, including those which relate to bank secrecy. The US already has indicated its intention to formally object to these reservations if Lebanon does not withdraw them. Parliament is studying a draft antidrug code, which would make money laundering a crime. The joint Syrian-Lebanese effort since 1992 to eradicate the cultivation of cannabis and opium in the Bekaa Valley is a significant accomplishment which has been confirmed by a variety of sources. Like other countries in the region, Lebanon is still a venue for narcotics processing and transshipment.