Ahmedabad: A BBA student looking for a way out of financial hardship allegedly found herself on the wrong side of the law. The 24-year-old from Bhavnagar wanted to open a small restaurant to support her family, but a quick-money offer allegedly drew her into becoming a drug courier. She was arrested from a hotel near Vastrapur lake with 21.5 grams of mephedrone.Crime branch officers raided Room 205 of Hotel Lake Palace around 5.25pm on Tuesday after receiving a tip-off. Along with the drug, police seized two mobile phones, a digital pocket weighing scale, 88 empty zip pouches and a bag.The mephedrone was valued at Rs 64,530, while the total value of the seized items was put at Rs 71,230. Police said the weighing scale and empty pouches suggested that the drug may have been intended for further distribution.The woman is pursuing BBA at a college in Gota, police said. Her father died several years ago, and she is the sole earning member of her family. With the family facing financial difficulties, she had been looking for work, a Crime Branch officer said.According to police, she met a man originally from Dhrangadhra but currently living in Badarkha village on Dholka Road. “He offered her money to deliver drugs, and she accepted the assignment in the hope of earning enough to start a small restaurant,” said the officer.The woman had been staying at the Vastrapur hotel for four days after moving out of a paying guest accommodation, police said.Her handler has been named as a wanted accused. Police are now trying to establish where the consignment came from and identify the people to whom it was allegedly meant to be supplied in Ahmedabad and elsewhere.Police are also examining the woman’s personal contacts. They suspect that a male friend may have introduced her to mephedrone and may be involved in its consumption. The woman has denied consuming the drug.An FIR has been registered at the DCB police station under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
