Two smoke shop employees face federal charges after police uncovered over 500 units of synthetic kratom, following the deaths of two students at the University of Mississippi.
asserted
police → face → Mississippi
Aidan Hamilton, 18, and Robert Strang, 20, were found dead on September 21 after police received separate reports that they were unresponsive and possibly overdosing.
uncertain
they → find → reports
Investigators later found pills at the crime scenes believed to be either kratom or synthetic kratom.
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Investigators → find → scenes
The Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Department announced on Thursday that two smoke shop employees, Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Mohamed, 18, are now facing federal charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
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employees → announce → intent
The employees worked at Puffs Vape Tobacco and Beer Store in Oxford, just outside the university.
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employees → work → university
The business was searched following reports of an alleged sale of illegal substances, and police located the kratom, THC cartridges and other suspected narcotics, according to Oxford Police.
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police → search → Police
'Today's federal court proceedings represent another step in an investigation that remains active and ongoing.
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that → represent → investigation
Law enforcement has not stopped working this case,' the narcotics department said.
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department → stop → case
Investigators continue to review evidence and pursue additional information, and additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation develops.
uncertain
investigation → continue → information
Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, faces federal charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute
Islam Mohamed, 18, also faces federal charges after officers recovered more than 500 units of synthetic kratom at the smoke shop he worked at in Mississippi
Officials said that kratom, pictured here, was found during both investigations into the deaths at Ole Miss
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kratom → face → Miss
A criminal affidavit obtained by ABC News revealed that Hamilton's bank records showed multiple purchases at Puffs Vape Tobacco and Beer, including on the day of his death.
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records → obtain → death
An informant working for the police went undercover three days after the students were found dead and reported purchasing 'kratom-based pills' at the shop.
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students → work → shop
'The clerk told the informant to be careful taking the pills, because people were dying from them,' the affidavit read.
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affidavit → tell → them
That same day, narcotics officers searched the store and seized alleged kratom products worth $1,799, according to the document.
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officers → search → document
The affidavit noted that forensic testing confirmed that some of the pills contained kratom.
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some → note → kratom
Investigators also found that Strang allegedly purchased pills containing kratom at a nearby gas station called Express Mart #7.
uncertain
Strang → find → station
The affidavit noted that the purchases occurred on September 9 and 11.
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purchases → note → September
Officers purchased similar pills and have sent them to a forensics lab for analysis.
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Officers → purchase → analysis
An official cause or manner of death has yet to be released.
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cause → have → death
Robert Strang, a 20-year-old from Atlanta, is the older of the two victims
Aidan Hamilton, an 18-year-old freshman from Colorado, was the second student to die under suspicious circumstances
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Hamilton → die → circumstances
Also on Thursday, Oxford Police announced another suspected overdose of a 22-year-old on Sweetgum Lane, which is about five miles from the university.
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which → announce → university
The individual was not a student, and police do not believe the incident is related to the university.
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incident → believe → university
Authorities responded around 5am and found the individual unresponsive.
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individual → respond → 5
Emergency responders revived him on the scene and rushed him to the hospital.
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responders → revive → hospital
Police said he is expected to be okay.
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he → say → ?
Officers learned that the individual also had synthetic kratom products, although they were not believed to have been purchased in Oxford.
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they → learn → Oxford
'The Oxford Police Department is once again warning the public about the serious and potentially deadly dangers associated with synthetic kratom products,' police said.
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police → warn → products
'Synthetic and manufactured kratom products can contain powerful and unpredictable substances.'
The department added that the recent incident is not connected to the ongoing investigation into the two students' deaths.
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incident → manufacture → deaths
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