Smuggling: the complete activity guide

📥 Download : the one-page guide · the quick sheet (mobile)

Buy illegal goods at outlaw hideouts and sell them without getting scanned.

Smuggling is high-risk trading: you buy illegal goods (drugs, banned products) at outlaw hideouts, then sell them where they are accepted. Margins are much higher than regular trading, but a security scan can earn you a CrimeStat and cargo seizure.

The smuggler’s real skill: picking routes, avoiding watched areas and knowing when to run. The Beacon OPS Trading tab shows where to buy and sell.

Open the tool in Beacon OPS

📋 At a glance

* Estimate based on player reports and recorded prices: check it in game, earnings vary with the patch, equipment and luck.

🔑 Requirements

• A ship with a cargo hold
• Money to buy the cargo
• Access to outlaw hideouts (Grim HEX, Pyro…)
• Accepting the CrimeStat risk

🚀 Recommended ships

• Drake Cutlass Black · Kit out ↗
• MISC Freelancer MAX · Kit out ↗
• Drake Caterpillar · Kit out ↗

🧰 Recommended equipment

• A fast, discreet ship
• Shields and weapons to escape
• A full quantum tank
• A route plan that avoids secure areas

🧭 Steps

1. Plan the route : In Beacon OPS, Trading tab, find where to buy and sell the illegal good you picked.
2. Buy : Reach an outlaw hideout and buy the cargo at the terminal.
3. Avoid scans : Stay away from stations and security patrols: a scan reveals the cargo.
4. Fly safe : Quantum from one safe point to the next and be ready to run.
5. Sell : Sell somewhere that accepts the goods, then leave without lingering.

💡 Advanced tips

• Start with small amounts to test the route
• Pyro has no security: ideal for smuggling, but pirates everywhere
• A teammate escort lowers the risk
• Don’t land in a secure area with illegal cargo
• Keep enough to pay a fine

⚠️ Common mistakes

• Flying near a security station with the cargo
• Investing all your money at once
• Ignoring scan warnings
• Shooting at police: your CrimeStat rises

☠️ Risks

• Security scan: CrimeStat and seizure
• Pirates lying in wait for smugglers
• Total cargo loss
• Prison if arrested

💰 Profitability

High on paper, but seizure or destruction risk lowers the average. Best for players with a safety cushion.

Sources : uexcorp.space · starcitizen.tools

❓ FAQ

What if I get scanned?
The illegal cargo is detected: CrimeStat, fine or a security chase.

Where to buy illegal goods?
At outlaw hideouts like Grim HEX or Pyro stations; Beacon OPS lists the buying points.

How do I clear a CrimeStat?
By paying a fine when possible, hacking a security terminal or serving prison time.

Is smuggling more profitable than trading?
The margin is higher, but so are losses: over time, the difference depends on how careful you are.

📖 Read also : Star Citizen guide #28: piracy and counter-piracy (interdiction, CrimeStat, Klescher) · Star Citizen guide #22: understanding insurance (claims, expedite, components)

📚 All activities · Updated on 2026-11-01 · Star Citizen 4.10