Father and son arrested in connection with university student overdose deaths linked to kratom

A father and son employed at a smoke shop in Mississippi have been arrested and charged regarding the death of at least one university student suspected to have overdosed on kratom, a substance sometimes referred to as "gas station heroin" in the United States. Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Yahya Mosleh, 18, face charges for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances related to the investigation of two deaths of University of Mississippi students last month. Although the deaths have not been officially linked to kratom, warnings about its consumption have been issued by officials. According to a criminal complaint, on September 21, an Ole Miss student was discovered deceased in his dorm room, with the apparent cause of death consistent with a drug overdose, as stated by the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi. Law enforcement found packages of suspected kratom derivatives, some with tablets missing. Approximately an hour later, a second student was found dead from a suspected overdose at another location, also with packages of suspected kratom derivatives. Officials connected these packages to the local vape, tobacco, and beer store, leading to the execution of search warrants and the seizure of suspected kratom derivative controlled substances from the store. The Moslehs were subsequently arrested. The deaths of the two students have raised concerns and prompted warnings from officials regarding kratom, a herb with opioid-like effects that has gained popularity in the US over the past decade and is often sold over the counter in pill or liquid form. Anti-kratom advocates have long sought bans on the substance, which is illegal in some countries, including the UK. In the US, kratom is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and remains legal in certain states, including Mississippi. Mississippi prosecutors indicated that kratom derivatives, such as MGPI, MGM-15, and MGM-16, are now classified as schedule I controlled substances in the US and may be significantly more potent than natural kratom leaf products and morphine.