Starfield contraband

All Starfield Contraband

We’re currently hunting down all the contraband we can find in Starfield, so you can see what’s what in the table below. Not included in the table is Aurora, a drug manufactured and distributed in the pleasure city of Neon. Unlike other illegal items, you can easily purchase Aurora by visiting the Astral Lounge and speaking to the member of staff behind the bar.

How to sell Starfield contraband

There are a few locations where you can sell Starfield contraband, but the complication is that if you try and move it on a planet like Neon or New Atlantis, with contraband scanning on entry to the atmosphere, you need to get smuggling. However, there are at least two locations where you can take your illegal items to sell them without concern, and you can check them out below.

• The Den – This space station in the Wolf system is a hub for black market goods, making it the ideal place to sell your contraband wares.
• The Key – This space station just off Suvorov in the Kryx system is another great place to sell any items you can’t smuggle through to a populated planet. You come across this location during the Deep Cover quest, so many of you should already be able to fast travel there without worrying about bumping into spacers.

Outside of The Den and The Key, you can also move your wares through Trade Authority outlets. However, as Trade Authority stores are almost always on planets that scan you for contraband on entry, this is a slightly more difficult option. If you’re opting to take this risk, you can give yourself a helping hand by leveling up your Payloads and Deception skills. In terms of the locations to look out for, we’ve got another bullet point list for you.

• Cydonia – This commercial hub on Mars has an easily accessible Trade Authority outlet.
• Neon – Volii Alpha‘s seedy city has a Trade Authority store right in the center.
• New Atlantis – In the shining city of Jemison, you can head down to The Well to find a Trade Authority seller.

Where to find Starfield contraband

With the exception of Aurora,  which you can find for sale in Neon, much of the Starfield contraband you come across is randomly scattered throughout the Settled Systems. Fortunately, you don’t have to guess what is and isn’t illegal, as there’s a distinct yellow marker on contraband items in your inventory. If you have any contraband but don’t want to sell it just yet, be sure to keep it safe at Starfield outpost. If you try and fly into a planet with something like Aurora in your cargo, there’s a high chance you’re going to get a bounty on your head.

How to smuggle Starfield contraband

When you grav jump into a Starfield system controlled by a Starfield faction, you may quickly discover the resident faction are scanning your cargo hold. Should you possess contraband aboard your ship, the faction will likely try to arrest you, ask you to pay a fine, or attempt to destroy you. As we mentioned earlier, if you’re planning on doing some smuggling, the Deception and Payloads skills come in handy to get you passed security checks.

Another important facet in smuggling is your ship. The ship you start the game with, The Frontier, has a regular cargo hold, making it more likely that you get caught red-handed when trying to land somewhere like Akila City with illegal items. So, you should search for ships with a shielded cargo hold, which makes it easier to land with your contraband undetected. Fortunately enough, there are some early-game options for ships with shielded cargo holds. Our advice is either to seek out a Crimson Fleet ship technician and pick up a shielded cargo upgrade for your ship or to complete the Mantis mission which rewards you with the Razorleaf. Each of these options makes it easier to go through scanning systems with slightly less anxiety.