Full Breakdown
Oxford Vape Clerks Charged in Ole Miss Student Death Investigation
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Federal prosecutors have indicted two Oxford, Mississippi vape-store employees, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh and Islam Yahya Mosleh, on charges of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The indictment follows a DEA affidavit linking the clerks to purchases made by University of Mississippi students Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, who were found dead after allegedly possessing synthetic kratom products. Investigators recovered more than 500 suspected kratom-related items from the Puffs Vape, Tobacco & Beer store and from an Express Mart location tied to the students.
Background & Context
Kratom, a plant-derived substance, has been marketed in “synthetic” forms such as “Smax, Pseudo-DHM” tablets that mimic narcotic effects. While the plant itself remains legal in many jurisdictions, several synthetic analogues have recently attracted law-enforcement scrutiny for their potential health risks. An informant who visited the Oxford vape shop reported that a clerk confirmed the store carried “7 O Kratom-based pills” and produced a package from beneath the register. The clerk allegedly warned the informant to remain quiet because “people were dying from them.”
Official Statements & Responses
A former prosecutor cited in the affidavit described the sale of the synthetic kratom product as “unlawful.” DEA officials noted that bank records linked the two students to the purchases and that undercover operations recovered the seized inventory. The affidavit indicates that investigators were still awaiting the medical examiner’s toxicology results at the time of filing.
Data & Statistics
- Two vape-store clerks charged federally.
- More than 500 suspected kratom items seized.
- The deceased students were 18 and 20 years old.
- Purchases were made at two separate retailers: Puffs Vape, Tobacco & Beer and Express Mart #7.
What’s Next
The federal case proceeds while the toxicology report for Hamilton and Strang remains pending. Both clerks face state-level possession charges and are being held pending trial. Authorities have indicated that further legal action may follow depending on the forthcoming medical-examiner findings.