Two employees at a smoke shop near the University of Mississippi have been arrested on drug charges, days after the suspected kratom overdose deaths of two students.
Police searched the store, located about one mile from the Oxford campus and near where Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, died earlier this week.
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18, were arrested and booked on suspicion of possessing Schedule 1 drugs with intent to distribute.
Oxford Police said investigators seized more than 500 units of kratom, as well as THC cartridges, gummies and other suspected drugs.
Police also noted that the store’s owner, 40-year-old Amer Alowdi, had previously been indicted on drug-trafficking charges and has since left the country.
“This remains an active investigation. Additional information will be released when appropriate,” police said. Authorities have not linked the arrests to the students’ deaths.
Friends who spoke with The Daily Mississippian identified the students. Hamilton was a freshman from Colorado, while Strang was a junior from Georgia.
According to the outlet, law enforcement officers responded to Stewart Hall, where they attempted to perform CPR on Hamilton.
Strang was later found dead at an off-campus home on Van Buren Avenue, sources told the outlet.
Officers attempted to perform CPR on Aidan Hamilton, pictured inside his dorm room, after he was found at Stewart Hall
In a statement, Strang’s family said they were “heartbroken by the loss of our dear son” and were trying to process the “unimaginable loss”
Last month, Aidan’s mother, Kathie, shared a photograph of him inside his dorm and outside the university on Facebook.
She described herself and her husband, Peter, as “empty nesters,” writing: “We are officially empty nesters – this is going to take some getting used to!!!!”
In a statement to Fox News, Scott Sayres, an attorney for Strang’s family, said: “We are heartbroken by the loss of our dear son and are trying to process this unimaginable loss.
“We are deeply grateful for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers and support from so many beloved friends and family. Their kindness has meant more to our family than we can ever express.”
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Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Shawnboda Mead announced the students’ deaths on Tuesday.
Soon after the announcement, Mead pushed back against rumors circulating on social media that additional students might be unaccounted for.
“We encourage our community not to speculate about the circumstances or repeat information that has not been officially confirmed,” she said.
However, the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit said in a social media post that “packaged kratom” had been found during both investigations into the deaths.
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18, were arrested and booked on suspicion of possessing Schedule 1 drugs with intent to distribute
Officials said that kratom, pictured here, was found during both investigations into the deaths
The Lyceum, oldest building on the campus of the University of Mississippi on April 12, 2008 in Oxford
Kratom, an unregulated herbal extract, acts as a mild stimulant that people use for energy, pain relief, and managing withdrawal. It acts as an opioid in large doses.
The substance was sold from an unnamed retail store, police said. It is unclear if kratom or other substances played a role in their deaths, the agency said.
Authorities have warned people to refrain from ingesting kratom or other substances that have not been prescribed by a medical professional.
‘Local, state, and federal partners are working collaboratively to gather the facts and provide answers as quickly and responsibly as possible,’ the agency said.
‘We are also working closely with the families involved and ask that their privacy be respected during an incredibly difficult time.’
Police also reminded the community that Narcan, an over-the-counter medication that reverses an opioid overdose, is available in vending machines across campus.
The university echoed the police, stating that their thoughts are with the friends, family, and loved ones of the two students.