Two vape store clerks in Oxford, Mississippi, are facing drug charges as authorities investigate suspected kratom products found near two deceased University of Mississippi students. Court documents say investigators reviewed bank records, conducted undercover purchases and seized more than 500 suspected kratom-related products from a local shop. The students, Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, were found dead earlier in September. Toxicology results were still pending when the affidavit was prepared, and the clerks have not been accused of causing either death.
The investigation centers on products labeled “Smax, Pseudo-DHM,” which court records describe as synthetic kratom-derived tablets marketed for a narcotic-like effect. Authorities have not established that the products found near Hamilton came from the shop where he made purchases.
| 1) | Charges and the scope of the investigation |
| 2) | Purchases connected to the student deaths |
| 3) | Undercover purchase and alleged warnings |
| 4) | Products seized at the Oxford store |
| 5) | Pending toxicology and unresolved questions |
Charges and the scope of the investigation
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh and Islam Yahya Mosleh are each identified in court documents as facing possession-with-intent-to-distribute charges involving a controlled substance. Officials also described their arrests as involving a state-level charge. The case concerns two Oxford businesses and an investigation into products believed by authorities to be kratom-related.
The charges were filed as authorities examined possible links between store sales and the deaths of two Ole Miss students. The documents do not accuse either clerk of causing the deaths, and the investigation remained active while medical examiners awaited toxicology results.
Purchases connected to the student deaths
According to a Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit dated Sept. 25, bank records showed that Aidan Hamilton made multiple purchases at Puffs Vape Tobacco & Beer in Oxford during September. One transaction occurred the day before he was found dead. Authorities said similar suspected kratom products were recovered near both Hamilton and Robert Strang.
Records also linked Strang to a purchase at Express Mart #7. However, the court documents did not establish that the suspected kratom product found near Hamilton originated at Puffs Vape. Both men were found with packages labeled “Smax, Pseudo-DHM,” but the precise source of the products remained unresolved.
Undercover purchase and alleged warnings
Investigators used a confidential law enforcement informant to visit Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store. The informant asked whether the shop sold “7 O Kratom based pills,” and a clerk allegedly confirmed that it did before retrieving a package from a drawer beneath the register.
“Be quiet” about the pills and be careful taking them because “people were dying from them.”
The statement appears in the affidavit as an allegation attributed to Mosleh. It was included as part of the evidence supporting the investigation and charges, but it does not establish the cause of either student’s death.
Products seized at the Oxford store
Authorities seized more than 500 suspected kratom-related products from the Oxford vape shop, according to the court documents. The seizure also included THC cartridges, gummies, pre-rolled products and other suspected THC substances.
The products were collected as investigators examined what the store sold and whether controlled substances were being distributed. The affidavit describes the items as suspected products, meaning their legal classification and contents remain matters for laboratory testing and court proceedings.
Pending toxicology and unresolved questions
The affidavit stated that toxicology results from the medical examiner were still pending on Sept. 25. Those results are expected to help determine what substances, if any, were present in the bodies of Hamilton and Strang and whether those substances contributed to their deaths.
The timing of Hamilton’s purchases, the similar packaging found near both students and the products seized from the shop form the central investigative circumstances. Even so, authorities have not publicly established a direct link between the store and either death, and the charges against the clerks remain allegations.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two Oxford vape store clerks face possession-with-intent-to-distribute charges. |
| 2 | Investigators reviewed purchases made by two deceased Ole Miss students. |
| 3 | More than 500 suspected kratom-related products were seized. |
| 4 | The students’ toxicology results were pending when the affidavit was written. |
| 5 | The clerks have not been accused of causing either student’s death. |
Summary
The case combines a controlled-substance investigation with an unresolved inquiry into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. Bank records, undercover activity and the seizure of suspected kratom products are cited in the affidavit, but the evidence has not established that products sold by the accused clerks caused either death. Toxicology findings and further court proceedings are expected to clarify the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was charged?
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh and Islam Yahya Mosleh, identified as employees of Oxford-area vape stores, were charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
What products were involved?
The investigation involved suspected kratom-derived products labeled “Smax, Pseudo-DHM,” along with other suspected kratom and THC products.
Were the clerks accused of causing the student deaths?
No. Court documents do not accuse the clerks of causing the deaths of Aidan Hamilton or Robert Strang. Toxicology results were still pending when the affidavit was prepared.