You can safely sell contraband in Starfield by using locations and setups that either avoid scans entirely or greatly reduce the chance of getting caught. Here’s a clear, spoiler‑light rundown.

Fastest method: The Den (no scans)

The most popular answer from guides and forums is: go to The Den in the Wolf system.

  • It’s a small space station in orbit, not a planet, so you don’t get scanned when you arrive.
  • Inside, look for the Trade Authority vendor (bright yellow branding). They will buy stolen and contraband items.
  • If the vendor runs out of credits, you can:
    • Buy ammo or supplies from them to “refill” their money pool, then sell more.
* Wait 24 in‑game hours to reset their credits and sell the rest.

Because there’s no entry scan, you can show up with a hold full of contraband and just walk it over to the desk.

General rule: sell to Trade Authority

Wherever you go, Trade Authority is who buys contraband.

  • Look for:
    • Yellow‑branded Trade Authority buildings in cities (found via city directory kiosks).
* Trade Authority **kiosks/shops** on smaller stations and outposts.
  • Important: City kiosks often won’t buy contraband; you usually need the actual clerk inside the Trade Authority office.

If you’re heading to a major city (Jemison, Neon, etc.), you’ll get scanned on arrival, so only do that once you’re set up with better smuggling gear.

Avoiding scans with ship setup

If you eventually want to walk into big cities with illegal cargo, you need to upgrade your ship.

1. Shielded cargo holds

  • You can buy shielded cargo holds from certain less‑lawful vendors, such as those at the Red Mile.
  • Put contraband in your ship’s shielded cargo , not your character’s inventory; if it’s on you, scans almost always detect it.
  • Shielded cargo doesn’t make you invisible, but it reduces the chance a scan finds your goods. Some players consider it about a 50/50 at low levels and recommend quicksaving before entering heavily policed systems.

2. Scan‑evasion strategy

  • Before jumping into a major faction system, quicksave. If you get pinged and fail the scan, reload and try again.
  • Combining shielded cargo with relevant ship parts and skills (like better engines, stealth, etc.) improves your odds further.

Safe storage trick: Outposts

If you’re not ready to risk scans yet, you can stash contraband where nobody checks.

  • Fly to an unclaimed planet or moon (dead worlds, moons like Kurtz near Jemison etc.).
  • Drop an outpost beacon , build a basic hab unit and a storage container.
  • Store your contraband there; no one visits and nothing gets scanned.
  • Later, when you have shielded cargo or are ready to fly to The Den, come back, pick it up, and sell it.

This lets you keep everything you find without risking getting it confiscated early on.

Example “zero‑scan” loop

Here’s a simple, safe play pattern that many players use:

  1. Loot contraband from pirate ships, missions, or containers. Items with a yellow icon and a high price tag are usually contraband.
  1. Store it in your cargo (or outpost) while you keep playing.
  2. When you’re ready to cash out:
    • Jump directly to the Wolf system , dock at The Den (no scan).
 * Go to the **Trade Authority** inside, sell everything.
 * If they run out of credits, buy some gear, then wait 24 hours and sell more.

You’ll turn contraband into a very strong early‑ and mid‑game money source without ever hearing “you’ve been scanned and found in possession of illegal goods.”

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