2 Men Charged Federally After Kratom Seized at Oxford, MS Business
Two men accused of possessing kratom and illegal substances at an Oxford, Mississippi, business have been federally charged Thursday.
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed Mosleh, 18, are now facing federal charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. They were charged with possession of Schedule I controlled substances with intent to distribute in Mississippi.
The two were arrested on Sept. 24 after the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit received information about the alleged sale of illegal substances from the retail business in Oxford. During the investigation, agents were able to conduct a purchase of illegal substances from the business.
During the search, agents seized more than 500 units of synthetic kratom, along with an assortment of THC cartridges, gummies and other suspected narcotics, police said. Kratom has been prohibited from possession, distribution, and sale within the City of Oxford since 2019. In 2022, the business owner, Amer Alowdi, 40, was indicted for trafficking narcotics. Alowdi fled the country before prosecution.
Their arrests come after the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Police said kratom from a retail store was found nearby. This remains an active investigation, police said, and officials have not definitively linked the kratom to the students’ deaths, or said where it was purchased.