By Richard Winton
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A top state narcotics agent was charged Tuesday with selling prescription drugs to a Long Beach police undercover detective after allegedly advertising their sale on Craigslist.
Henry Kim, 40, a supervisor who oversees the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement’s anti-gang operations in the region, was arrested about 9 p.m. Saturday after he sold 50 pills of the erectile-dysfunction medication Cialis in the North Long Beach area, authorities said.
Kim was charged Monday with four misdemeanor counts related to the sale of a controlled substance.
“This is extremely unfortunate,” said Gerald Hunter, assistant chief of the bureau.
“We are looking at this thoroughly. Our internal affairs is conducting an investigation.”
Kim, a decorated agent who led major anti-drug operations in cities including Pomona, listed the medication for sale on the popular website Craigslist, Hunter said.
A Long Beach police detective who was searching the website found the listing and contacted Kim to make a purchase, Hunter said.
Hunter said Kim was released from jail Tuesday afternoon.
He was placed on paid administrative leave Monday, Hunter said.
Kim oversees agents who work to arrest gang members involved in drug dealing throughout the region, Hunter said.
Copyright 2007 The Los Angeles Times