Mississippi police seize kratom and arrest two men after deaths of Ole Miss students
Mississippi authorities seized more than 500 kratom units and arrested two men following the deaths of two University of Mississippi students in which kratom was found at the scene.
Mississippi law enforcement seized a large quantity of kratom and arrested two individuals after two University of Mississippi students were found dead earlier this week. The raid, carried out by Metro Narcotics agents on Thursday, targeted the Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store on Heritage Drive in Oxford.
"More than 500 units of kratom, along with an assortment of THC cartridges, gummies, and other suspected narcotics, were seized," a police statement said.
The city of Oxford banned the possession, distribution and sale of kratom in 2019. The arrested men, 51-year-old Yahya Mohamed Mosleh and 18-year-old Islam Mohamed, were booked on multiple drug-related charges. The store’s owner, 40-year-old Amer Alowdi, had previously been indicted for narcotics trafficking in 2022 and fled the country before prosecution; officials indicated that additional charges could follow as the investigation proceeds.
Ole Miss confirmed that 18-year-old freshman Aidan Hamilton of Englewood, Colorado, and 20-year-old junior Robert Strang of Atlanta were found dead in separate locations. While the causes of death have not been released, kratom was reported at both scenes, prompting renewed scrutiny of the herb, which the Drug Enforcement Administration describes as having opioid-like effects and being used for pain, anxiety and drug-dependence relief.
Authorities have not yet linked the arrests to the students’ deaths, and the investigation remains ongoing.