Starfield contraband are expensive items that have been banned by the United Colonies and Freestar Collective. The first time you arrive at Jameson during the first story mission, you’ll be scanned by ships from various factions for contraband. Reading the help entry on Smuggling reveals that you need something called Shielded Cargo capacity, but there are no instructions on how to find it or purchase it. It’s also unclear where you’re supposed to sell contraband in the first place. Here’s what you need to do to sell contraband in Starfield.
How to sell Starfield contraband
The following steps will allow you to sell contraband without being caught by the authorities:
- Purchase shielded cargo hold from Crimson Fleet – Go through the UC Vanguard faction questline, which starts at MAST headquarters, until you get a quest called “Deep Cover.” This will introduce you to the Crimson Fleet, where you can purchase a shielded cargo hold to your ship. Installing a Scan Jammer will also help here.
- Place contraband in cargo hold – Make sure that before you jump to protected system that you place the contraband in your ship’s cargo hold. Otherwise, your chance to evade a scan will be 0%. Either way, we recommend saving the game before you jump, since there’s always a chance that you’ll still get caught despite all the measures you put into palce.
- Sell contraband at Trade Authority – If you are able to pass the scans for contraband, you can sell it a Trade Authority shop (note that a Trade Authority kiosk will not handle this) or a pirate ship from, say, the Crimson Fleet. You can also sell stolen items in both places.
If you’re lucky to find contraband while on the same planet as a major city, you don’t have to worry about a scan. So if you find contraband on, say, Jameson, you can just fast travel to New Atlantis and sell it at the Trade Authority in The Well without needing to pass any inspection.
In new game plus, you won’t have to worry too much about shielded capacity (we’ll keep this vague to avoid spoilers).
That said, there are other legitimate ways to earn credits quickly without having to deal with contraband at all.
Starfield Contraband FAQ
A: To sell contraband without detection, first purchase a shielded cargo hold from the Crimson Fleet by progressing through the UC Vanguard faction questline. Before you jump to a protected system, always place the contraband in your ship’s cargo hold. To further minimize detection, it’s also beneficial to install a Scan Jammer on your ship. Once you’ve safely navigated the scans, you can sell your contraband at a Trade Authority shop or even to pirate ships like the Crimson Fleet.
A: Yes, if you discover contraband on the same planet as a major city, you won’t need to pass a scan. For instance, if you find contraband on Jameson, you can quickly fast travel to New Atlantis and sell it at the Trade Authority in The Well, bypassing any inspections.
A: In new game plus, concerns about shielded capacity are significantly reduced. The specifics are kept under wraps to avoid spoilers, but it becomes less of an issue.
