Mississippi police seize kratom and make arrests after deaths of Ole Miss students

Key Points:

• Two individuals were arrested and over 500 units of kratom, along with other suspected narcotics, were seized during a raid at Puffs Vape, Tobacco and Beer Store in Oxford, Mississippi.
• The possession, distribution, and sale of kratom have been banned in Oxford since 2019, and the store’s owner, Amer Alowdi, indicted for narcotics trafficking in 2022, has fled the country.
• The arrests come days after the mysterious deaths of two Ole Miss students, Aidan Hamilton and Robert Strang, who were found with kratom at the scene, though it is unclear if kratom contributed to their deaths.
• Kratom is an herb with opioid-like effects that is popular in the U.S. for self-treating pain, anxiety, and drug dependence, but its safety and legal status remain controversial.
• Authorities continue to investigate the case, and additional charges may be forthcoming as the connection between the arrests and the students' deaths is still undetermined.