Search the front and back under the lamp
Finding an item during a body search does not mean you should take it. To body search passengers in Airport Contraband, send the passenger to the body-search station, turn on the lamp, and hover over their clothed areas on both the front and back. Then decide what to do with each discovered item using its classification.
Player experience in the collected early-build tutorials shows this sequence:
- Direct the passenger to Body Search after checking the belongings tray.
- Switch on the station's lamp.
- Move around the passenger and check clothed areas on both sides.
- Examine the items you uncover and choose between returning or confiscating them.
- Turn off the lamp before moving the passenger to the next stage.
Do not stop after finding the first object. The tutorials can reveal multiple items in different areas, and a clean-looking front does not tell you what is hidden at the back.
Put legal items in the tray
The important difference is where the item ends up. A legal item belongs in the tray so the passenger can take it back; confiscation transfers it into your bag.
The developer addressed this distinction in an April Steam discussion about body searches and theft penalties. The intended rule described there is that keeping a legal item in your bag causes the theft penalty. Putting it into the passenger's tray should not do that.
That thread concerned the earlier demo period, and its original poster reported a different result. It therefore establishes the developer's intended distinction, rather than proving that no tray-related issue can occur in any version. The later tutorial transcripts also distinguish returning an item from confiscating it.
If you take something by mistake, check your inventory and return it before the passenger leaves control. The developer's reply warns that sending the NPC away can remove that opportunity.
Use the item index instead of guessing
A body search can reveal legal possessions, restricted items, or contraband. Search location alone does not determine which category applies.
| Classification | Inspection response |
|---|---|
| Legal | Return the item to the tray |
| Restricted | Confiscate the item; the basic tutorial does not treat that alone as an arrestable offense |
| Contraband | Follow the contraband procedure, including confiscation and arrest |
The collected Prologue player experience uses the item index to check unfamiliar objects. That is more reliable than deciding from appearance or assuming an item found in clothing must be criminal.
A basic body search is also distinct from the later concealed-item extraction mechanic. The latter introduces an additional interaction rather than making every ordinary clothing search a timing challenge.
FAQ
Do I need to check behind the passenger?
Yes. The tutorial instructs you to check clothed areas at both the front and back.
Is moving a legal item into the tray supposed to count as theft?
The developer's April explanation says theft should occur when a legal item ends up in your bag. The tray is intended to return possessions to their owner.
Can I undo an accidental confiscation?
The tutorial and developer reply describe returning items from your bag before the passenger has been sent past control. Correct it while that passenger is still available.