A store employee and his son are facing charges for allegedly selling a prohibited kratom product as federal investigations continue into the fatalities of two University of Mississippi students, prosecutors announced on Friday.
A Mississippi drug enforcement task force had previously advised the public to steer clear of kratom, an herbal substance that can function as a stimulant in low doses and as a sedative in higher doses, after discovering kratom derivatives during their inquiry into the students’ deaths, which occurred on September 21.
While it remains unclear if these substances played a role in the fatalities, federal prosecutors noted that both cases appear to be consistent with drug overdoses. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated last week that two state agencies are working to expedite the toxicology analyses for the deceased students. The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics agency confirmed on Thursday that the investigation is ongoing, and further charges may be forthcoming.
Bank transactions reveal that one of the deceased students, Aidan Hamilton, made several purchases in September at a vape, tobacco, and beer store located in Oxford, Mississippi, where the university is situated, according to a federal court document.
On September 24, an informant, sent by law enforcement, acquired kratom pills from the store clerk, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, who cautioned the informant to “be careful taking the pills because people were dying from them,” as stated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael Dassance in an affidavit.
Both Mosleh and his 18-year-old son, Islam Yahya Mosleh, who was also employed at the store, were arrested. Each faces a charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, as confirmed in a statement from the Justice Department on Friday.
Scott Davis, the attorney representing the elder Mosleh, and A.E. Harlow Jr., who represents Islam Mosleh, stated via email that they had no comments on the case. The defendants appeared before a magistrate judge on Thursday, who determined there was adequate evidence to proceed with the charges.
Kratom, derived from a tree indigenous to Southeast Asia, is legal under federal law. However, various state and local jurisdictions have enacted bans, and federal agencies have issued alerts regarding its potential dangers.
Supporters of kratom argue that it is a safe, natural herbal supplement in its pure, ground-leaf form, claiming it can assist with pain, anxiety, depression, and alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms. They emphasize that the risks are associated with kratom derivatives, which are often synthetic and can be extremely potent.
Although kratom has been associated with fatalities in rare instances, it is typically used in combination with other substances, making its specific role in these cases ambiguous, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
In August, the DEA prohibited three compounds related to kratom. In his affidavit dated September 25, the DEA agent noted that one of the banned compounds was found in products seized from both the Oxford store and Hamilton’s residence.
Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and the other deceased student, Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, were discovered in different locations, one on campus and the other off-campus.
Investigators located opened packages of a kratom product labeled “Smax” in both students’ rooms, according to the Justice Department. They subsequently established a “suspected link” between these packages and the store where the Moslehs were employed.
Yahya Mosleh instructed the informant who visited the store on September 24 to remain quiet when other customers were present and to hide the kratom pills from view. Once the other customers left, he completed the transaction while again advising caution to the informant.
Currently, eleven states have enacted bans on kratom, while others, including Mississippi, have implemented regulations that require purchasers to be at least 21 years old. Additionally, the city of Oxford has instituted its own ban on kratom.
