Father Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and his 18‑year‑old son Islam Yahya Mosleh have been arrested in Mississippi on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances after two University of Mississippi students died in suspected kratom overdoses.
Officials say the two students were found dead in their dorm rooms on 21 September, each with packages of suspected kratom derivatives that had been seized from a local smoke‑shop and beer store.
Investigators traced the packages to the shop where the Moslehs worked, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi is pursuing charges of drug distribution and evidence of involvement in the deaths.
Kratom, a plant‑based substance with opioid‑like effects, has been sold over the counter in states such as Mississippi and is becoming increasingly popular among university students.
Authorities warn that the drug’s derivatives – including MGPI, MGM‑15 and MGM‑16 – are now Schedule I controlled substances in the United States and can be far more potent than natural kratom leaves.
Gas‑station heroin has become a nickname used by officials, who argue the substance can be lethal and is not regulated by the FDA.
The case has prompted renewed calls for tighter regulation of kratom and has highlighted the hidden dangers of seemingly innocuous herbal supplements.
