Two men have been arrested on drug-related charges in Oxford, Mississippi, days after two University of Mississippi students died in separate incidents.
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18, both from Oxford, were charged with possession with intent to distribute, according to the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit and reports cited by the New York Post.
Authorities searched a tobacco and vape shop near the Ole Miss campus and found more than 500 kratom products, along with THC cartridges, gummies and other suspected controlled substances, police said Friday.
Drug Bust Near Ole Miss Campus
The search came after the deaths of two University of Mississippi students in unrelated incidents on Monday.
According to police reports, “packaged Kratom sold from a retail store” was found at both locations connected to the students’ deaths.
“Kratom has been prohibited from possession, distribution, and sale within the City of Oxford since 2019,” the narcotics division said in a statement on Friday.
Authorities have not established a connection between the shop and the deaths of the two students.
The shop’s owner, Amer Alowdi, 40, was indicted on drug trafficking charges in 2022, according to the report. Police said he left the country before facing prosecution.
Who Are Yahya Mohamed Mosleh And Islam Mohamed?
Mosleh, 51, and Mohamed, 18, are both Oxford residents. They were arrested following the investigation into the shop and face charges related to alleged possession with intent to distribute.
Authorities have not publicly linked either man to the deaths of the two University of Mississippi students.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Who Were The Ole Miss Students Who Died?
The two students were identified as 18-year-old freshman Aidan Hamilton and 20-year-old junior Robert Strang.
Strang, who was from Atlanta, was remembered as a devoted son and had served as co-chairman of the 2026 Rush programme for the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Hamilton, who was from Colorado, was described by his family as a “bright, wonderful young man who was taken too soon” and said he was “greatly missed.”
Strang was found at a residence near the University of Mississippi campus, while Hamilton was found in his dormitory room.
Cause Of Death Under Investigation
The exact circumstances surrounding the students’ deaths have not been determined.
Narcotics investigators are examining both cases. Authorities have not confirmed that kratom or any other substance caused either death.
Officials are also investigating whether fentanyl was involved.
Mississippi has a law known as Parker’s Law, enacted in 2022, which allows prosecutors to pursue criminal charges when an unlawful delivery of fentanyl results in a person’s death.
“Under Parker’s Law, enacted in 2022, criminal charges may be pursued when an unlawful delivery of fentanyl results in a person’s death,” Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell told Fox News Digital.
“If the investigation establishes those circumstances, law enforcement will work with prosecutors to pursue the appropriate charges and hold those responsible accountable,” Tindell said.
Investigators have not yet announced any findings linking the two student deaths to the products seized from the Oxford business.