I looked at the BEP website just now and they say removed due to "Lack of use." But they also report elsewhere people use less cash today (credit cards, etc), and also as you state drug traffic, counterfeiting, and laundry day for money are exactly why.

When I was in high school and working at a furniture store for my uncle a woman came in and paid her account off with a $10,000 bill. She could have passed a hundred bad checks before that note was OK'd. They called everyone in the world to verify it was good. She was pretty stupid as it was THEN worth much more than face value. As soon as she left everyone in the store had to have a photocopy (the old wet B/W copy kind) of that note! After all NONE of us had ever actually SEEN one and some never even heard of one! I kept that photocopy for years and years, it finally faded so bad it was no good.

I have seen a few since then but never owned one... they don't collect interest in a notebook! LOL