page_title: Contraband
section_title: Law of armed conflict
hierarchical_section_title: Contraband / Law of armed conflict
caption_attribution_description: An Afghan and coalition security force found multiple automatic weapons along with dozens of rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), RPG boosters, hand grenades, and 2000 rounds of ammunition during an offensive security operation in Nangarhar last night. The security force was in pursuit of the primary Taliban facilitator for foreign fighters and attacks against high interest targets within eastern Afghanistan. (DoD photo)
context_page_description: The word contraband means any item which is illegal to be possessed or sold. The term is used for goods such as:
  smuggled goods
  stolen goods – knowingly dealing in stolen goods is an offense in itself, called fencing
  the fruits of fraud, forgery etc.
context_section_description: In international law, contraband means goods sent to territories under the control of the enemy that can be used in armed conflict. Traditionally, contraband is classified into two categories, absolute contraband and conditional contraband. Absolute contraband includes arms, munitions, and various materials. These can include chemicals and certain types of machinery that may be used to wage war.
  Conditional contraband includes food and livestock feed. Cargo of this kind, while presumably innocent in character, can be seized if the supplies are destined for the armed forces of the enemy. Under conditions of modern warfare almost everything can be called absolute contraband.
caption: Contraband Taliban weapons seized by an Afghan and coalition security forces
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA", "Image Make": "OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.", "Image Model": "u1030SW,S1030SW", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "314", "Image YResolution": "314", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Version 1.1", "Image DateTime": "2010:07:19 17:27:43", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "158", "Image PrintIM": "[80, 114, 105, 110, 116, 73, 77, 0, 48, 51, 48, 48, 0, 0, 37, 0, 1, 0, 20, 0, ... ]", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "8980", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "7259", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/30", "EXIF FNumber": "7/2", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Creative", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "125", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2010:07:19 17:27:43", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2010:07:19 17:27:43", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "361/100", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash fired, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "5", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "3648", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2736", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "614", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "Low gain up", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal"}