Cargo is the big loot you carry in your hands or a trunk: crates, safes, money bags, bushes, crystals. You can sell it to the Smuggler, open it at a Cargo Workbench, or repack contraband for more. Since 5 Nov, opening cargo at your own base pays better than selling it whole. Production (Grow Room and Chemical Laboratory) turns cargo into a repeating income, and all of it needs your own base.
Cargo rules
- Cargo is carried in your hands or in a car’s cargo slots, not in your bag.
- Drawing a weapon drops the cargo. Plan who carries and who covers.
- Cops can confiscate bags and cargo. Cargo dropped on the ground despawns after a while.
- The Smuggler’s cargo exchanger holds up to 100 cargo. Smuggler prices rise with Notoriety: +5 / +10 / +15 / +25%.
- Handing in cargo fills a Cargo Sheet, which is worth carrying every time.
Storing cargo at home
| Storage | Slots | Protection | Required sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small / Medium / Large Rack | 6 / 9 / 12 | Opens freely once the building is hacked | — |
| Small / Medium / Large Security Cabinet | 6 / 9 / 12 | Raider needs a Master Key | 30 / 140 / 500 years |
What cargo is worth
| Cargo | Smuggler (L1) | If a cop seizes it |
|---|---|---|
| Unique Collection Crate | $500,000 | $125,000 |
| Golden Statue | $250,000 | $62,500 |
| Expensive Safe | $200,000 | $50,000 |
| Rare Collection Crate | $150,000 | $60,000 |
| Valuable Cargo | $150,000 | $25,000 |
| Weapon Parts Box | $120,000 | $30,000 |
| Portable Safe | $100,000 | $25,000 |
| Bank Money Bag | $60,000 | $15,000 |
| Collection Crate | $50,000 | $12,500 |
| Crates (Alcohol, Electronics, Equipment, Jewelry Box, Medications, Spare Parts, Weapon Parts) | $25,000 / $40,000 | $6,250 / $10,000 |
| Suitcases (White, Blue, Red), Closed Money Bag | $25,000 | $6,250 |
| Contraband Cargo | $10,000 | $4,000 |
Crate prices are uncommon / epic. Full prices for every cargo item are in the contraband catalog.
Opening cargo: the Cargo Workbench
| Item | Effect | Research | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo Workbench | Opens cargo; 2 slots | $5,000 | $15,000 | I |
| Locksmith Tools | +20% speed | $20,000 | $15,000 | I |
| Cargo Saw | +20% speed | $45,000 | $41,000 | II |
| Bench Vise | Extra slots | $100,000 | $250,000 | III |
| Plasma Cargo Cutter | Faster opening | — | Not sold | — |
Repacking: the Contraband Workbench
The Contraband Workbench repacks Contraband Cargo (from Looty Bay, Lenny’s Motel or a Sales Center) into more expensive cargo. The Black Market map building, found only in Highlands, raises repack pay for bordering settlements.
| Item | Effect | Research | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contraband Workbench | 1 base slot, 2 speedup slots, 1 extra-space slot | $20,000 | $20,000 | I |
| Label Printer (Uncommon) | +15% speed | $15,000 | $30,000 | I |
| Label Printer (Legendary) | +25% speed | $75,000 | $150,000 | III |
| Tool Box (Epic) | +1 cargo slot | $150,000 | $200,000 | II |
| Tool Box (Legendary) | +2 cargo slots | $300,000 | $400,000 | III |
Grow Room
Place a Grow Room, put Grow Tables inside, and set a Growing Bush (found as loot) on a table. When the clock icon turns into a check mark, the bush is mature. Harvesting takes about 5 seconds and gives 2 to 4 Harvest Bags, and the bush regrows on its own. You never replant.
| Item | Stats | Research | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grow Room | 6 Grow Table places | $150,000 | $100,000 | I |
| Grow Table | 6 bushes; 36 s tick | $30,000 | $40,000 | I |
| Fan | +12% growth | $100,000 | $25,000 | I |
| Water Pump | +14% growth | $200,000 | $70,000 | II |
| UV Lamp | +24% growth | $500,000 | $250,000 | III |
All three table upgrades stack on the same table. A Reservoir map building next to your settlement adds a 50% chance of an extra harvest.
| Bush rarity | Growing Bush (Smuggler) | Mature Bush (Smuggler) | Harvest Bag (Fence, each) | Per harvest (2–4 bags) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon | $20,000 | $30,000 | $4,000 | $8,000 – $16,000 |
| Epic | $30,000 | $45,000 | $6,000 | $12,000 – $24,000 |
| Legendary | $40,000 | $60,000 | $8,000 | $16,000 – $32,000 |
A single harvest is worth less than selling the mature bush outright, but the bush keeps producing. Keep it on the table if you have time for several harvests; sell it if the wipe is close.
Chemical Laboratory
The chain runs: Reagent Canisters or Quality Reagents (cargo, from loot) into a Chemical Reactor, which makes Crystalline Concentrate of random rarity. The Industrial Freezer turns concentrate into Hard Crystals. Sell those to the Smuggler, or crush them on a Lab Table into Crystalline Powder for a Fence.
| Item | Stats | Research | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Laboratory | Structure | $160,000 | $110,000 | I |
| Chemical Reactor I | 4 cycles × 900 s | $20,000 | $40,000 | I |
| Chemical Reactor II | 6 cycles × 530 s | $150,000 | $300,000 | II |
| Chemical Reactor III | 8 cycles × 337 s | $350,000 | $700,000 | III |
| Industrial Engine | Slightly better crystal odds | $10,000 | $20,000 | I |
| Industrial Thermometer | Noticeably better odds | $50,000 | $120,000 | II |
| Chemical Converter | Greatly better odds | $150,000 | $300,000 | III |
| Industrial Freezer I / II / III | 4 / 6 / 8 places; 360 s tick | $15k / $30k / $100k | $20k / $90k / $250k | I / II / III |
| Improved Evaporator | Freezing +11.7% | $40,000 | $100,000 | II |
| Quality Refrigerant | Freezing +13% | $100,000 | $250,000 | III |
| Lab Table | Crushes crystals; 2 slots | $10,000 | $15,000 | I |
| Laboratory Scales | Lab Table upgrade; 335-year sentence | $15,000 | $15,000 | II |
| Rarity | Concentrate (Smuggler) | Hard Crystals (Smuggler) | Crystalline Powder (Fence, each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon | $10,000 | $30,000 | $1,000 |
| Epic | $15,000 | $45,000 | $2,000 |
| Legendary | $25,000 | $75,000 | $4,000 |
Inputs and side products, all sold to the Smuggler: Reagent Canisters $20,000, Quality Reagents $30,000, Powder Bag $25,000, Pure Powder Bag $40,000, Perfect Powder Bag $60,000.
Map buildings that help production
| Building | Bonus to bordering settlements | Districts |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory | Whole cooking cycle 20% faster | Rivertown, El Peso, Highlands |
| Reservoir | +50% chance of an extra harvest | Rivertown, Highlands |
| Black Market | Contraband repacking pays more | Highlands only |
Bonuses stack when a settlement borders more than one building. See base and plots for the full list.
Related
Cargo WorkbenchContraband WorkbenchGrow RoomChemical LaboratoryHard CrystalsGrowing BushCargo Sheet
From the FAQ
- How does the Grow Room work?
- How much do Harvest Bags sell for?
- What speeds up growing?
- How does the chemical lab work?
- Where do I get reagents and bushes?
- How do I open cargo?
- What does the Contraband Workbench do?
- Why does my cargo fall out of my hands?