How to Get Contraband in ROB RUN

Last updated: 13 November 2026. Contraband in ROB RUN is a base business: you buy damaged Contraband Cargo, repack it at a Contraband Workbench, then sell the result. This page covers the first half, getting the cargo and the bench. For the selling half, see where to sell contraband.

Where to buy Contraband Cargo

Buy Contraband Cargo at Lenny's Motel, in Looty Bay, or at a district Sales Center. All three locations come from fan-wiki and community guides; Kefir hasn't published a shop list. [W]

• Price: community guides report about $5,000–$10,000 per crate. Treat this as a guide, not an official price. [W]
• What it is: fan-wiki game data describes it as "damaged packaging with suspicious contents" that can be repacked at a Contraband Workbench. [W]
• Resident discount: Kefir's power pyramid post confirms that Settlement Residents can "buy contraband at a discount." [K]
• Sales Center access: the same post says residents unlock the Sales Center. Fan-wiki data adds that only plot renters in a district can sell at its Sales Center. [K][W]

Tip: don't buy stock first. Cargo is heavy, can be stolen, and is useless until your bench is placed.

Step 1: Rent a plot (become a Settlement Resident)

You need a rented plot before you can run contraband. Kefir: you can only set up a base in a settlement with an owner; find a vacant plot and pay at the sign next to it. [K]

• Since launch, Tier 1 settlements and land rentals cost documents instead of cash. [K]
• Renting land unlocks your base, businesses, new Shipments, the Sales Center and discounted contraband. [K]

Step 2: Research the Contraband Workbench

Research the Contraband Workbench in the Shipments menu for $20,000. Community guides describe the path as: press H (or use the side menu) → Shipments → Larry's Tree → Furnishings → Contraband Workbench. You can open the menu at Lenny's Motel, in Looty Bay or out in the desert. [W]

Research only unlocks it. It doesn't give you the physical bench.

Step 3: Buy it from the Black Market laptop

Buy the bench from the Black Market laptop for another $20,000. Your base's main building comes with a laptop, and Kefir confirms it gives access to the Black Market. That makes the total setup about $40,000 before your first crate (community-reported). [K][W]

Step 4: Place it in a free station slot

Place the bench through the wall blueprint in your house: choose Modification and drag it into a free station slot. Community-reported slot counts: Trailer 1, Small House 2, Mansion 3, Workshop 4. [W]

Building in ROB RUN is item-based, so workbenches deploy from your inventory, and Kefir confirms workbenches can be upgraded with modules. [K] For the Label Printer and Tool Box upgrades and the 30-minute repack, read the Contraband Workbench guide.

Step 5: Protect what you bought

A base full of cargo attracts raiders, so fuse your Security System before you stock up. Kefir: install fuses so attackers spend "far more time and resources", and use modules that alert allies. [K] Full checklist: how to defend your base.

Contraband and the wipe

Everything, including cargo and cash, is wiped in your server's Federal Raid every seven days. Buy early in the cycle and stop buying near the end. Check your server on the wipe timer. [K]

Related guides

• Contraband Workbench guide: repacking, upgrades, profit
• Where to sell contraband in ROB RUN
• How to raid and defend a base

Sources

• Steam News: Power Pyramid (Oct 28, 2026) — [K] Steam "Power Pyramid", 28 Oct 2026 (resident discount, Sales Center, base)
• Steam News: Base Management (Oct 16, 2026) — [K] Steam "Base Management", 16 Oct 2026 (item-based building, laptop, workbench modules)
• Steam News: First Changes & Server Schedule (Nov 4, 2026) — [K] Steam "First Changes & Server Schedule", 4 Nov 2026 (Tier 1 rentals cost documents; contraband profits increased)
• Kefir Help Center: How do I rent a plot for my base? — [K] Help Center – rent a plot
• Kefir Help Center: How do I protect my base from raids? — [K] Help Center – protect my base
• Kefir Help Center: What is the Federal Raid wipe? — [K] Help Center – Federal Raid
• robrun.info/en/mechanics/cargo/ — [W] ROB RUN Info – Cargo and Production (where to buy, Label Printer, Tool Box)
• hub.robrun.de/en/wiki/cargo/contraband-cargo — [W] Rob Run Hub – Contraband Cargo (item description; verified in game v0.7.0.4005)
• robrun.run/guides/money/contraband/ — [W] robrun.run – contraband (price range, slots, setup costs)
• tposegaming.com/rob-run-contraband/ — [W] TPose Gaming – contraband (research path, $20k + $20k)
• www.indiatimes.com/game-guides/rob-run-contraband-guide-how-to-buy-cargo-unlock-the-workbench-and-earn-money-from-smugglers/articleshow/135680464.html — [W] Indiatimes – contraband guide (same path and costs)
• robrunwiki.com/en/mechanics/base/ — [W] ROB RUN Wiki – Base and Plot (Sales Center access)