Pubdate: Tue, 23 Feb 1999 Source: United Press International Copyright: 1999 United Press International LEBANON ALMOST FREE OF DRUGS BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 23 (UPI) - A security official says Lebanon has become ``almost clean'' of drug cultivation and has adopted measures to prevent money-laundering despite its bank secrecy laws. Brig. Gen. Abdel Karim Ibrahim, director-general of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces, said today that Lebanon had exerted great efforts in recent years to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, which flourished during the 1975-90 civil war. At a news conference at United Nations headquarters in Beirut, Ibrahim said, ``Lebanon, which was a drug producer and exporter, especially hashish and heroin, and an importer of cocaine, has become almost clean.'' He said there was no more hashish or opium cultivation in Lebanon after the Lebanese Army and Syrian troops stationed in eastern Lebanon destroyed the drug fields in a campaign that began in 1992. He added that Lebanese security forces succeeded in combating drug trafficking, noting ``as the best proof'' the fact that ``no hashish or heroin smuggling from Lebanon has been reported by any country in the world.'' Ibrahim, however, admitted that very small quantities of heroin and opium not exceeding more than 100 kilograms were still being smuggled into Lebanon via Turkey and Syria as well as cocaine from Latin America. He noted that about 500 kilograms of cocaine used to be imported into Lebanon every year while now only a small quantity is being smuggled by passengers and international courier. He added that Lebanon has tightened sanctions against drug traffickers who now face a life-sentence in jail and fines from 25 million to 100 million Lebanese pounds if caught. Ibrahim said Lebanon succeeded in eradicating the cultivation of drugs, but failed ``to uproot this idea from the minds of the poor Lebanese farmers and all the others who were earning their daily bread from such cultivation - - their only source of living.'' He urged donor states to keep their promises and grant Lebanon about $35 million to help Lebanese farmers make a living farming other crops after they released $65 million for this purpose in previous years. - --- MAP posted-by: Pat Dolan