Full Breakdown
Ole Miss Vape Shop Raid Leads to Kratom Seizure Amid Student Death Investigations
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Law-Enforcement Raid on Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store
Agents from the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store on Heritage Drive in Oxford, Mississippi—approximately one mile from the University of Mississippi campus. The raid resulted in the seizure of more than 500 units of kratom, THC cartridges, gummies and other suspected narcotics. Two men, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18, both residents of Oxford, were arrested and charged with possession of Schedule I controlled substances with intent to distribute.
Background & Context
In separate incidents earlier this week, Ole Miss students Aidan Hamilton, 18, a freshman from Englewood, Colorado, and Robert Strang, 20, a junior from Atlanta, Georgia, were found dead—one on a dormitory floor and the other at an off-campus residence. Packaged kratom was recovered at both death scenes, prompting a heightened investigation by local authorities.
Kratom, a plant-derived psychoactive compound, has been prohibited from possession, distribution and sale within the City of Oxford since 2019. The DEA classifies kratom as a psychoactive substance capable of producing stimulant effects at low doses and sedative effects at higher doses.
The store’s owner, Amer Alowdi, 40, was indicted in 2022 on federal narcotics-trafficking charges involving an illegal synthetic cannabinoid. According to court documents, Alowdi fled the United States before prosecution could commence. Earlier investigative activity includes a March 20, 2020 operation in which agents followed Alowdi from his Oxford shop to a warehouse in Tupelo, Mississippi, and observed the loading of boxes later seized as part of the current case.
Data & Statistics
- 500+ units of kratom recovered.
- Additional seized items: THC cartridges, gummies and other suspected narcotics (exact quantities not disclosed).
- Arrested individuals: Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18.
- Owner indictment: Amer Alowdi, 40, for trafficking an illegal synthetic cannabinoid (2022 indictment).
- Kratom ban in Oxford effective 2019.
Official Statements & Responses
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell told reporters that the vape-shop arrests are not connected to the Ole Miss student deaths.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While packaged kratom was present at the two student death scenes, law-enforcement agencies have not established a causal link between the seized kratom and the fatalities. No public evidence ties the arrested individuals or the Puffs Vape store to the substances recovered at the death scenes. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not disclosed whether additional suspects are being pursued.
What’s Next
Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit indicated that further arrests may follow as the investigation continues. No specific future dates or court hearings have been announced.