You sell contraband in Starfield by taking it to Trade Authority vendors or similar shady buyers in places that don’t scan you on arrival, with the most popular early-game spot being The Den in the Wolf system.

Main places to sell contraband

  • The Den (Wolf system) – Widely recommended as the safest and easiest early place to offload contraband.
* It’s an orbital station in the **Wolf** system, close to Alpha Centauri and Sol.

* You are **not scanned** for contraband when you arrive, so you can dock without special ship upgrades.

* Inside, head past the entrance area to the **Trade Authority shop** (not the yellow kiosk) to sell contraband and stolen goods directly to the vendor.
  • Other Trade Authority locations – In major cities, standalone Trade Authority buildings (bright yellow branding) will buy contraband, but you must first pass the security scan in orbit or at landing.
* You can’t sell contraband through simple kiosks; you must talk to a human Trade Authority clerk.
  • Pirate / shady hubs – Some pirate-aligned or “grey market” locations also buy contraband, as players note for places like The Key and certain bars or vendors in areas such as Neon or The Red Mile, though details can vary by progression and patches.

How to avoid scans and getting caught

  • Use non-scanning stations : The Den is the classic example because it lets you bypass the whole scan mechanic.
  • Upgrade your ship : Guides explain that shielded cargo and related upgrades (often sourced at places like The Red Mile) help you pass scans when heading to scanned worlds.
  • Sell in orbit when possible : Random Trade Authority merchant ships can sometimes appear in orbit and will buy contraband before you’re scanned by the planet’s authorities.

Quick example “route”

You loot contraband during a mission, jump straight to the Wolf system, dock at The Den (no scan), walk past the kiosk to the Trade Authority vendor in the next room, and sell everything safely in one go.

TL;DR: For “where can I sell contraband Starfield,” the go-to answer in current guides and forum talk is: The Den (Wolf system) + any Trade Authority vendor that you can reach without failing security scans, especially once you have shielded cargo.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.