Federal authorities have charged a store clerk, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and his son, Islam Yahya Mosleh, 18, with selling an illegal kratom product in connection with the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. The charges were announced on Friday following an investigation that began after the students were found dead on September 21. A drug task force in Mississippi had previously warned the public about kratom, an herbal substance that can act as both a stimulant and a sedative.
While it remains unclear whether the kratom contributed to the deaths, federal prosecutors indicated that both cases appear consistent with drug overdoses. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated that two state agencies are working to expedite toxicology reports for the deceased students. According to bank records, one of the students, Aidan Hamilton, made several purchases from a vape and tobacco store in Oxford, where the university is located.
On September 24, an informant purchased kratom-based pills from Yahya Mosleh, who advised the informant to be cautious with the pills due to reported deaths associated with them, as stated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Michael Dassance in an affidavit. Both Mosleh and his son were subsequently detained and charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
The defendants appeared before a magistrate judge on Thursday, who found sufficient evidence to proceed with the charges. Kratom, derived from a tree native to Southeast Asia, is legal at the federal level, but some states have banned it, and federal authorities have issued warnings regarding its risks. Proponents argue that in its pure form, kratom can be a safe herbal supplement, while the dangers arise from synthetic derivatives. The DEA banned three kratom-related compounds in August.
Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, were found dead in separate locations, one on campus and the other off campus. Investigators discovered opened packages of kratom labeled "Smax" in Hamilton's room, with some pills missing. A package of Smax was also found in Strang's room, indicating he purchased it from a different store.
Yahya Mosleh advised the informant to be discreet during the transaction and to keep the kratom pills out of sight from other customers. Eleven states have banned kratom, while others, including Mississippi, have implemented regulations, such as requiring buyers to be at least 21 years old. The city of Oxford has also enacted its own ban on kratom.