Spice Spice was the name for a type of illicit substance or substances in demand throughout the galaxy . Spice was mined at the spice mines of Kessel , where Wookiee slaves were worked to death turning medicinal spice mineral into a recreational drug . Spice mines could be found in several other planetary systems throughout the galaxy , including those of Ryloth and Naboo . One variation of the narcotic known as ryll was mined on the planet Ryloth and had both scientific and recreational applications . Sansanna spice was a type of spice that could be found throughout the galaxy . The word " spice " could also refer to certain non - narcotic substances used to give foods or drinks flavor , such as salt . History . The Pyke Syndicate used raw spice to create a powerful drug and Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum sent Jedi Master Sifo - Dyas to investigate . An assassination attempt against Senator Padmé Amidala was initially suspected to be the work of disgruntled spice miner s on the moon s of Naboo , though it later transpired that the assassin was in fact hired by Count Dooku , the leader of the Separatists . When the Ohnaka Gang captured Count Dooku , they demanded a million credit s in spice delivered in an unarmed diplomat ic ship in exchange for handing him over to the Jedi . After Obi - Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were captured during a meeting to verify that the pirate s did indeed have Dooku , the Gungan Jar Jar Binks and Senator Kharrus were sent with the demanded spice , though it was rendered irrelevant , as Dooku had already escaped by the time they arrived with it . Imperial Moff Delian Mors was a known user of spice , and Colonel Belkor Dray noted that he could operate well despite its effects . Ensign Baz was a known spice user and because of this was relieved from duty on the " Carrion Spike " by Moff Tarkin during a voyage to Coruscant shortly after an attack on Sentinel Base . Imperial Moff Ghadi used a variant of spice known as polstine spice to blackmail Arihnda Pryce , then an aide to Lothal Senator Domus Renking . He described the spice as " highly prized , highly expensive , and highly illegal " , and evidently even a light dusting on one ' s clothes was enough to guarantee a life sentence in prison . A pre - spice variant called scarn was the subject of a land dispute between the native Cyphari of the Afe Clan led by Chief Joko and the human colonist s led by Mayor Pord Benchel . The land dispute was engineered by human colonists Clay Tanoo , Lenora Scath , Brigte Polcery , and mercenary Nightswan as a means to gain access to the large scarn vein under the Afe Clan land . The conspiracy was quickly unraveled by Commander Thrawn and ensign Eli Vanto , who brought a swift end to the land dispute by scorching and destroying the scarn vein with the help of TIE fighter pilot lieutenant Gimm and Lieutenant Commander Osgoode . When Imperial forces boarded the " Tantive IV " , C - 3PO was worried that he and R2 - D2 would be sent to the spice mines of Kessel . Behind the scenes . It has been posited that Frank Herbert ' s seminal book , " Dune " ( 1965 ) , influenced " Star Wars " heavily . Spice plays a central role in the " Dune " universe . Spice was first mentioned at the beginning of the with C - 3PO ' s worry to R2 - D2 that " " We ' ll be sent to the Spice Mines of Kessel , smashed into who - knows - what ! " " Spice was also briefly mentioned in " " of the prequel trilogy and a payment of spice was an important plot element in two installments of " " . In canon , the details of what , exactly , spice was were kept quite vague until " The Lost One " in " Star Wars : The Clone Wars " , which clearly identified it as being used to make a dangerous drug , corroborated by reference material for " Star Wars Rebels " clearly establishes it as a dangerous drug . Numerous stories from the Expanded Universe , later re - branded as " Star Wars " Legends gave details on the spice trade , describing it as consisting a number of different types of mind - altering drugs , such as ryll and glitterstim .