Wed Sep 27, 2006 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - San Diego Chargers player Terrence Kiel was arrested at the NFL team's practice facility on Tuesday for shipping cases of Codeine-based cough syrup, a controlled substance, the Drug Enforcement Administration said on Wednesday.

Kiel, a 25-year-old safety, was arrested on two counts of transporting and three counts of possession for sale, according to the DEA.

"Actions like those of Mr. Kiel simply add fuel to the already raging fire of prescription drug abuse in our country," John Fernandes, the agent in charge of the investigation, said in a statement.

The DEA said it has found widespread abuse of Codeine-based cough syrup in Texas. Mixed with soft drinks and referred to as "lean", a pint can cost between $200-325 on the street, it said in a statement.

The drug agency said Kiel admitted to shipping two parcels containing the syrup to Texas and to knowing their contents.

Kiel, taken in the second round of the 2003 draft out of Texas A&M, is scheduled to be arraigned on October 3.

"We're aware of an off-the-field situation involving Terrence Kiel and we're monitoring the situation," the Chargers said in a statement.

A National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) study in June 2005 revealed that more people abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants and heroin combined, noting that 2.3 million kids abused legal medications during the period of the study.