ROB RUN contraband: cargo, workbench and the repack loop
Buy damaged cargo, repack it for 30 minutes, sell Premium Cargo. Setup costs, station slots and the honest margin.
Contraband is a repacking business: buy damaged Contraband Cargo for roughly $5,000–$10,000, process it for 30 minutes at a Contraband Workbench, then sell the resulting Premium Cargo (community reports about $35,000). The workbench costs $20,000 to research and $20,000 to buy, and needs a free station slot.
Contraband is the processing tier of the cargo economy. Normal cargo is opened or sold; contraband is bought cheap because it is damaged, then repaired into something the Smuggler will pay for.
Setup: money before stock
| Step | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Research Contraband Workbench | $20,000 | Shipments → Furnishings → Larry’s Tree |
| Buy the workbench | $20,000 | Black Market laptop |
| Own a building with a free station slot | Varies | Trailer 1 / Small House 2 / Mansion 3 / Workshop 4 |
| Buy Contraband Cargo | $5,000–$10,000 each | Lenny’s Motel, Looty Bay, Sales Center |
Community-documented costs, 2026-11-13. Total setup is about $40,000 before the first crate.
The 30-minute loop
- Buy damaged Contraband Cargo Check the Sales Center first if you live in a settlement — residents can get a discount.
- Load the Contraband Workbench One cargo slot per bench. Do not use the normal Cargo Workbench; it cannot process contraband.
- Wait 30 minutes Processing continues while you do something else. Return before the server resets or your base gets raided.
- Collect Premium Cargo Community reports a tooltip value around $35,000. The actual Smuggler payout depends on bonuses.
- Sell or reinvest Sell to the Smuggler, or keep the loop running if you have the cash flow.
The honest margin
At $10,000 in and a $35,000 tooltip out, the paper margin looks like 250%. In practice the bench processes one crate at a time, the timer caps throughput at roughly two crates an hour, and transport risk is real. Community testing reports $10,000–$20,000 profit per batch after setup — good, not infinite.
Upgrades and slots
- Label Printer — faster processing (Uncommon: $15,000 research + $30,000).
- Label Printer (Legendary) — higher tier, requires a level 3 settlement; effect not confirmed in community data.
- Tool Box — extra capacity; requires a level 2 settlement and costs $150,000 research + $200,000.
- Station slots depend on the building: Trailer 1, Small House 2, Mansion 3, Workshop 4.
Risk notes
- Cargo is visible in your hands. Drawing a weapon drops it, and police can seize it.
- Cargo trading areas attract campers; community reports mention snipers and cheaters around them.
- The Federal Raid clears cargo and cash at the end of the cycle. Do not hold inventory into the wipe.
FAQ
How do I get Contraband Cargo in ROB RUN?
Buy it from Lenny’s Motel, Looty Bay sellers or the Sales Center. It costs roughly $5,000–$10,000 per shipment and cannot be produced at your base.
How do I unlock the Contraband Workbench?
Research it for $20,000 in Shipments under Furnishings, then buy it from the Black Market for another $20,000. You also need a building with a free station slot.
How long does repacking take?
About 30 minutes per crate. The workbench has one cargo slot unless you add capacity upgrades.
Is contraband profitable?
Community testing reports about $10,000–$20,000 profit per batch after the $40,000 setup, before transport losses.
Every claim above traces back to these primary sources; the full list is on the sources page.
ROB RUN cargo: open it or sell it?
The two exits for every crate, the values that matter, and how to unlock the Cargo Workbench without wasting $40,000.
How to make money in ROB RUN: the loops that actually pay
Seven income routes ranked by risk, from dumpster cash to contraband repacking, with the real numbers where sources exist.
ROB RUN grow room: tables, bushes and harvest money
Six tables, six bushes each, 2–4 packages per harvest. Costs, prices and the upgrades worth buying.