Contraband is the valuable illicit cargo that all reputable settlements will scan for in Starfield. Whenever you enter a settlement, they’ll scan your ship in search for contraband — and that includes drugs like Aurora — and it seems almost impossible to sell early in the game. There are two ways you can sell contraband at the start of your adventure. You’ll need to purchase Shielded Cargo or you’ll need to find ports that are friendly to criminals. We’ll explain how to handle both.
More Starfield guides:
Best Skills | Best Ship Upgrades & Mods | All Companions | All Romance Options | All Settlement Locations | Join All Factions | How To Pirate Ships | Secret Companion | Secret Ship & Suit
How To Sell Contraband
Contraband is a type of illegal cargo that are controlled at all faction colonies. The United Colonies and Freestar Collective will scan you unless you have Shielded Cargo. Even if the illicit goods are in your inventory, you’ll still be caught. Scanning will occur at every settlement or outpost.
If you’re caught, you’ll get a fine and all contraband will be removed. You’ll also lose all stolen goods in your inventory. If you want to sell Contraband without being scanned, you’ll need to acquire Shielded Cargo Holds — or you can go to a settlement that does not scan.
- How To Hide Contraband: To keep Contraband from being dedicated when flying to major settlement, you’ll need Shielded Cargo Holds.
- Where To Buy Shielded Cargo Holds: Porrima 3 (Porrima System) – Sold by the vendor at The Red Mile outpost. Sold by the Ship Vendor (Lon Anderssen). The cheapest holds cost $1,000-$2,000 while the more advanced holds cost up to $9,000 or $16,000. The higher-level holds require higher level Ship Building skill.
- You can also purchase Shielded Cargo Holds from the Crimson Fleet HQ, the Key in the Kryx System. Learn more about joining the Crimson Fleet below.
To shield cargo, it must be placed in your ship inventory. If you’re carrying it in your personal inventory, it will be spotted by a scan. If you hide contraband, there is a way to sell contraband at any normal major settlement.
- How To Sell Contraband: Contraband can be sold at any Trade Authority vendor. They don’t advertise this, but if you talk to a Trade Authority representative, they’ll explain that anything goes with the Trade Authority.
Trade Authority vendors can be found at most major settlements. You’ll find one early in Cydonia (Mars) — there’s one in the Central Hub. If you want to avoid scanning and find an easier port for selling contraband, you’ll need to join the Crimson Fleet.
- How To Avoid Scanning: To reach a Settlement where you won’t be scanned, you’ll need to join the Crimson Fleet. The Crimson Fleet has a secret settlement where you won’t get scanned for contraband and can sell stolen goods freely.
- Alternative, travel to The Red Mile, located on Porrima 3 (Porrima System). This settlement does not scan.
- To join the Crimson Fleet, you need to steal something and get caught by the United Colonies (UC) authorities. Steal something in New Atlantis and get caught. You’ll be caught and recruited to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet.
- The Crimson Fleet Ship Builder NPC also sells Shielded Cargo Holds. These are only available to players that have joined the Crimson Fleet and have access to their secret outpost.
You can get caught for any level of crime. Even if you sell something worth almost nothing. Any object will work — the security forces will offer you a shop to repay your debt by infiltrating the Crimson Fleet. After infiltrating them, you can also join them freely and do all the crimes you want.
