okay so contraband, smuggling and unlawful trading. 'that old chestnut'
I think that smuggling should incur more risk, for more reward. im pretty sure that most people would agree this is how it should be based on the sheer number of threads on the subject over the years.
I think they should be pretty much akin to mineable ores in terms of profits, but unlike ore which is free, contraband commodities should cost a lot to buy as a balance.
So right now it costs roughly 500 credits for one unit of cardamine, for a full 5k thats 2.5mil, which is pretty much no risk, you can sell it on buffalo in new york (native unlawful sell point) for about 4500 (not at home right now, cant get exact figure) which is 22,500,000, or 20,000,000 profit. honestly not worth it.
I think it should cost 4500-5500 per unit to buy, and then sold for 13000-14000 per unit.
So that you are putting a lot of an investment into being able to make serious credits quickly.
there is of course "what is counted as contraband" because everywhere has their own rules, I literally mean the items that are undeniably illegal in all houses, like artifacts, cardamine, counterfit software, black market munitions. things like this.