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Updated June 11, 2025, by Christopher Norman Worcester:With many players returning to Starfield to experience the recent update, as well as prepare for the Shattered Space DLC, there has been a resurgence in questions regardingStarfield’s complex Contraband system. Even though the game offers a large amount of information on the subject, it can still be confusing to actually apply in practice, especially during theearly-game sections. This update will focus on this aspect of Starfield’s pirating system. It will include a restructuring of some sections, and a new stand-alone video that explainswhere to sell Contraband early in Starfield.
Though it is certainly possible to staymostlyon the good side of the law inStarfield, players will find out early that the criminal underworld is thriving throughout the settled systems. Space pirates attack players for seemingly no other reason than they can, making it very hard not to be tempted into doing the exact same thing. Making it even harder, an extremely valuable resource known as Contraband appears very early, tempting the player into bending the law during the credit-scarce early game.
The Contraband system inStarfieldis actually fairly complex, with a set list of criteria the player must meet before even having a chance to smuggle it into a possible merchant. On top of that, simply finding an unscrupulous merchant who will buy it is a tricky task. However, as the player makes their way through the galaxy, the secrets to smuggling Contraband successfully will reveal themselves.
How Does Contraband Work in Starfield?
Starfield’s Contraband System: Explained
Generally speaking,Contraband inStarfieldis a specific type of illegal merchandise. It is often found in secret or hidden parts of POIs, as well as locations where criminals are known to gather. When you explore any ofStarfield’smany bases, labs, medical facilities, etc., keep an eye out for a small yellow square to the right of the item name. This indicates the item is contraband. Once you have contraband in your possession, you’ll have to be smart about how you carry it. When you first enter almost any system in the game, your ship will be scanned for Contraband. As you progress through the game, various ship items and upgrades will become available that allow you to hide your contraband effectively. However, in theearly sections ofStarfield,hiding and selling contraband will be extremely limited.
When decidingwhere to sell contrabandandwhere to hide contraband,Starfielddoes not make things very clear. The player can acquire contraband in multiple ways, including looting and through story-related situations. Once in the player’s possession, the question of what to do with it is where things become tricky. Players will no doubt notice that whenever a ship enters a settled system, it is scanned for illegal goods, specifically contraband.
At the point of scanning, a complex system of mechanics will come into play that will determine whether the contraband is detected by the scan. There are several steps the player will have to take to ensure the precious cargo remains in their possession.
Once the player has successfully avoided detection, they must find a merchant willing to purchase Contraband items, which can be something of a mission in itself. In fact, it is possible that some vendors may require the player to complete a small mission to prove they can be trusted.
Where to Sell Contraband in Starfield – Early Game
How to Sell Contraband Early in Starfield:
Selling Contraband early inStarfieldis simpler than in the later stages, but your options – and therefore payout – will be much more limited. Before you acquire a Grav Drive capable of taking you to a location that sells Shielded Cargoand a Scan Jammer, you will only have one real option:The Den. The Den is a small space station in the Wolf System, just northeast ofAlpha Centauri, the system whereJemisonis located. There is a Trade Authority outpost on the Den, which is the only way you can sell them contraband. The Trade Authority kiosks you encounter will not accept illegal goods.
Your only other option early inStarfield,is when you find contraband items in or near major cities. If you are in the same cell as the city, you can carry a piece of contraband directly to the local Trade Authority. This is an extremely specific situation, and will not occur very often. Selling at the Den is the far better option, given that there is no way to travel between procedurally generated cells inStarfieldwithout triggering another scan. This issue will eventually become moot, as you will be able to purchase the means to avoid detection around the mid-point of the game.
Where to Sell Contraband in Starfield – Mid-to-Late Game
There are many options when decidingwhat to do with contraband inStarfield.Once players have made it onto the planet safely, they will then have to decide where to sell the extremely valuable items. In the early stages of the game, there may only be a single option: The Trade Authority. As the game progresses, players will eventually gain access to aCrimson Fleet space station known as the Key. As previously mentioned, the player will have to proceed through the ‘Deep Cover’ mission.
Players will likely know that there are Trade Authority kiosks found in most spaceports throughoutStarfield.Unfortunately, these are worthless when it comes to contraband. Instead, players must find the human representative of the Trade Authority in the region they are in. In New Atlantis, the representative is Zoe, who is found in the Wells. The Trade Authority can be found in all the main cities, though how many outposts there are in the systems, is yet to be determined.
Unfortunately, both the Trade Authority and Crimson Fleet will not offer the best prices on contraband. The game states that there are less reputable sources to sell to in the systems, though at the moment these appear to be random encounters or through specific missions found in the game’s many Mission Boards.
Where to Sell Contraband in Starfield Without Being Scanned:
There are two safe locations inStarfieldto sell contraband without fear of being scanned upon entry. This will allow players without shielded cargo to enter the system and sell their contraband. The first location is The Red Mile, which is shown in the next section on purchasing rare parts.
The next location is a space station in the Wolf system called The Den. Players will find the Trade Authority representative at a small window, just past Ship Services and to the left.
How to Hide Contraband in Starfield
How to Avoid Contraband Scans in Starfield:
When learning how to hide contraband inStarfield, it is important to understand the mechanics. The main factor that determines whether a ship will be able to slip through a scanner undetected is the cargo hold.Starfield’s beginner ship, The Frontier, has standard cargo holds, and therefore has no chance of passing a scan. There are several ways to acquire either shielded cargo holds, or entire ships that already have them. Consider the following options:
Once a ship with a shielded cargo hold has been acquired, make sure to place the contraband inside before attempting to jump to a settled system. It is the planets with major cities that will pose the greatest risk, such as Jemison, with New Atlantis, and Akila, with Akila City.
With the contraband in a shielded hold, the chances of passing a scan will be displayed in the HUD. With a basic shielded hold, and a very small amount of contraband, the game displays a 59% chance of success. Use the following methods to increase the chances of success:
Remember, contraband carried in personal inventory will always be detected, so make sure to put it in the ship’s cargo hold.
