ROB RUN contraband is a money loop that doesn’t require robbing anyone. You buy Contraband Cargo, repack it on a dedicated workbench, and sell the result to a Smuggler. Sounds easy. The setup costs real money, though! I’ll tell you which is which as we go and explain why this is one of my favorite passive incomes at the end.
What You’ll Read:
How to Get Contraband Cargo in ROB RUN
Contraband Cargo is an uncommon cargo item with damaged packaging, and you buy it from a seller. Three places stock it: Lenny’s Motel, Looty Bay, and the Sales Center. The Hangar map also has a Contraband Cargo marker.
Settlement residents get a discount at the Sales Center. So expect something between $5,000 and $10,000 for each Contraband Cargo you buy.
How to Unlock the Contraband Workbench
Open Shipments with H (or the side menu) at Lenny’s Motel, Looty Bay or out in the desert. Find the Contraband Workbench under Furnishings in Larry’s Tree and research it for $20,000. That only unlocks it. You still have to buy it from the Black Market laptop for another $20,000.
So the bench runs $40,000 before you’ve bought a single crate. Ouch!
You also need a base. Rent a plot in a settlement that has an owner (look for the rental sign). Then go to your house’s wall blueprint, pick Modification, and move the bench box into a free station slot. How many slots you get depends on the building:
| Building | Station Slots |
|---|---|
| Trailer | 1 |
| Small House | 2 |
| Mansion | 3 |
| Workshop | 4 |
How to Repack Contraband Cargo
Put the raw Contraband Cargo into the Contraband Workbench, not the Cargo Workbench. The Cargo Workbench opens other shipments and won’t take this item. Even an ordinary Electronics Crate won’t go through the contraband bench. It has a single cargo slot.
Repacking the cargo takes 30 minutes and mine came out as Premium Cargo with a $35,000 tooltip!
Contraband Workbench Upgrades
The bench has two speed-up sockets and one extra-slot socket. Label Printers go in the speed sockets, and Tool Boxes go in the extra-slot socket to add capacity.
| Upgrade | Research | Buy | Requires | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label Printer (Uncommon) | $15,000 | $30,000 | Contraband Workbench | +15% speed |
| Label Printer (Legendary) | $75,000 | $150,000 | Uncommon printer, Level 3 settlement | Unknown |
| Tool Box (Epic) | $150,000 | $200,000 | Contraband Workbench, Level 2 settlement | More capacity, amount unknown |
| Tool Box (Legendary) | $300,000 | $400,000 | Epic Tool Box, Level 3 settlement | More capacity, amount unknown |
Honestly, I’d stop at the Uncommon printer for now. The Epic Tool Box alone costs $350,000 once you add research and purchase, and nobody can tell you what that buys.
Where to Sell Repacked Contraband
Sell it to the Smuggler, not the Fence. The Fence only buys ordinary loot. Cargo goes to a Smuggler’s Van, and the map lists two of them in Looty Bay.
The Smuggler pays based on the cargo’s value and your Cargo Sale Bonus, which rises with Notoriety. Don’t mix it up with the Item Sale Bonus. The Fence bonus goes up to 50%.
Hauling is the risky part. Drawing a weapon makes you drop hand-carried cargo, and since the Nov 4 patch the Buletti can’t carry shipments at all. If you’re buying a vehicle for this business, check our ROB RUN cars guide for the cargo capacity of each car.
For the full cargo value list, check our cargo values and opening times guide.
Is ROB RUN Contraband Worth It
In my opinion, it can be. You’re paying at least $40,000 for the bench, plus a plot and stock. I made $10,000 to $20,000 profit per batch. But that just looks pretty on paper.
The risks are real. Snipers and cheaters camp the cargo trading areas, so scout before you load a van. Stolen goods can only be stored at your base, and bases can get raided, so a full cargo rack isn’t a bank. Not to mention, the process itself can take some time and effort as well.
I’d call it a decent side business once you already have a base. As your very first money plan, I wouldn’t bother. Our ROB RUN money guide covers cheaper ways to get started.
That covers ROB RUN contraband for now. Found the full recipe, or got a real Smuggler payout? Tell me in the comments, and I’ll add it to the guide.
