US father and son arrested after 'gas station heroin' deaths

Meanwhile, a father and son who worked at a Mississippi smoke shop have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of at least one university student who died from a suspected overdose of kratom, sometimes called "gas station heroin" in the US.

Key points

• The criminal complaint alleges that on 21 September, an Ole Miss student was discovered dead in his dorm room.
• The pair worked at a shop that allegedly sold derivatives of the substance to University of Mississippi students.
• Authorities connected the packages with the local vape, tobacco and beer store, the US Attorney's statement stated.
• Although their deaths have not officially been attributed to kratom, authorities afterward issued warnings concerning consuming kratom.
• Law enforcement discovered packages – with some tablets missing – of suspected kratom derivatives.

In practice, the pair worked at a shop that allegedly sold derivatives of the substance to University of Mississippi students.

US prosecutors charged Yahya Mohamed Mosleh, 51, and Islam Yahya Mosleh, 18, for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances in connection with the death investigation of two Ole Miss students last month.

For context, the criminal complaint alleges that on 21 September, an Ole Miss student was discovered dead in his dorm room. The apparent cause of death "appeared to be consistent with a drug overdose", the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi remarked in a press release.

Regarding an hour afterwards, a second student was discovered dead from a suspected overdose in another location, additionally with packages of suspected kratom derivatives.

Law enforcement executed search warrants and seized suspected kratom derivative controlled substances from the store. The Mosleh's, father and son, were afterwards arrested.

Notably, the two students' deaths have sparked alarm and warnings from authorities concerning the plant-based drug referred to as "gas station heroin".

Kratom – a herb with opioid-like effects – has grown in popularity in the US over the last decade, and is typically purchased over the counter and consumed in pill or liquid form.

For years, anti-kratom advocates have pushed for bans, and in some countries, like the UK, it is illegal. But Kratom is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and is legal in some states, including Mississippi.

According to The Mississippi prosecutors, kratom derivatives, such as MGPI, MGM-15 and MGM-16, are now schedule I controlled substances in the US and can be significantly more potent than natural kratom leaf products and morphine.

Taken together, the developments around US father and son arrested after ' gas station heroin' deaths point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.