UC Santa Cruz student indicted for developing ‘Banana Plug’ drug-selling app

A student at the University of California Santa Cruz was charged with possession and distribution of drugs Thursday after he allegedly developed and used an app meant to sell contraband online last year.

Collin Riley Howard, 18, of Sunnyvale was accused of selling methamphetamine and cocaine between Nov. 7 and Nov. 28, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

Howard allegedly developed “Banana Plug,” an app that was available on the Apple App Store, and offered cocaine, “molly” and “shrooms,” and allowed customers to make requests, according to the release.

UC Santa Cruz campus police found posters hung around the college advertising “Banana Plug” and launched an investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, according to the release.

A campus police officer and an undercover HSI agent arranged for the purchase of marijuana and cocaine, allegedly communicating with Howard via Snapchat, and set up three additional transactions, according to the release.

Authorities bought more than 10 grams of methamphetamine between two transactions, according to the release.

Before a payment could be made at their fourth transaction, campus police officers arrested Howard, according to the release.

Howard appeared in court Tuesday and is scheduled to reappear Friday for a bail review, according to the release.

This story was originally published February 19, 2019 at 8:32 PM.