Complete Quarantine Zone contraband list and how to deal with internal contraband

Quarantine Zone contraband
(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

Identifying Quarantine Zone contraband soon becomes as important as spotting those tell-tale signs that an incoming survivor may have been infected with the virus. If someone comes through your checkpoint with a rucksack, it's up to you to inspect the contents and confiscate anything that may pose a threat.

You'll receive a nice little cash bonus for each forbidden item you seize, but be careful as you'll also be fined for unnecessarily taking away anything that's been deemed safe. To help you make the right calls, here's a complete Quarantine Zone contraband list to work from, and what to do with internal contraband.

What contraband to confiscate in Quarantine Zone

Weapons are considered Quarantine Zone contraband and must be confiscated

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

For the most part, it should be reasonably intuitive what items are safe to bring into your survivor camp and which are forbidden, but some are in a gray area. To help you make the right decisions, here's what contraband you should confiscate in Quarantine Zone:

  • SAFE:
    • Alcohol, Books, Cash, Cigarettes, Cooking Equipment, Food, Gas, Glowing Crates, Propane, Stationery, Teeth(!), Toiletries, Tools (except Saws), Toys, and any gold sparkling items as they are collectibles
  • CONFISCATE:
    • Ammunition, Axes, Bombs, Drug Bricks, Explosives, Flamethrowers, Grenades, Guns, Knives, Pills, Police Batons, Saws, Swords, Syringes, and any other Drugs or Weapons

Make sure you keep an eye on the Bulletin Board each day, as you'll sometimes receive quests regarding contraband that supersede the usual classifications.

Zombie parts are extreme Quarantine Zone contraband and the survivor carrying them must be sent to Liquidation

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

You should also be paying attention for any survivors carrying zombie body parts in their backpacks. If you find zombie parts during your search then do not confiscate them (unless required for a quest) as you'll receive a fine – simply put them back in the bag and send the survivor directly to Liquidation, as they will have already been contaminated with the virus.

How to confiscate internal contraband in Quarantine Zone

Identifying internal Quarantine Zone contraband using the x-ray device

(Image credit: Devolver Digital)

Around Day 15, after you've had access to the x-ray device for a couple of days, you'll be warned that some survivors have started trying to sneak contraband through your checkpoint 'internally'. To counteract this, grab the x-ray tool and change the level setting to ALL which hides the survivor's organs, so you can just see any unusual items that may be lurking in there.

If you spot an item that's considered safe, you're advised to leave it where it as "it takes all kinds, and we have bigger fish to fry," however if you see any contraband then highlight it and hit E to tag it. Next, go and speak to Charlie, your new friend in the white hazmat suit, and he'll do the messy work of retrieving the item for you. It will appear on the tray in front of him, so you can then interact to confiscate it in the usual way.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has well over 900 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.