THE RULES OF CONTRABAND
by Pepys (Castell Brothers Ltd)

The Object of the Game

Is to smuggle Contraband through the Customs, by avoiding payment of duty on articles of luggage represented by the cards.

The Game

Is played by 3 or more players, and comprises a pack of 54 cards, and £10,000 'Pepys Currency' token money.

The cards comprise 7 sets of four cards, each set depicting an article liable to custom duty;

24 cards, each of similar design, representing articles not liable to duty; and 2 special cards, the use of which is explained in paragraphs 8 and 9.

Lists will be found at the end of the rules showing the Customs Duty payable on the cards; the Fines payable for attempting to avoid Customs Duty; and the different denominations making up the £10,000 in 'Pepys Currency.'

1. Customs Officer

Is chosen by agreement or by dealing one card to each player, when the player receiving the card of the highest dutiable value becomes Customs Officer. He thereafter controls the game.

The Customs Officer divides the £10,000 token money equally amongst the players, including himself; any part of the £10,000 which may be left over after equal division remains unused.

He then shuffles the cards and places the whole pack face down in the centre of the table.

The Customs Officer is changed every time the pack is exhausted.

2. The First Player

That is, the player on the left of the Customs Officer, draws the top four cards but does not show them to the others. He then declares the contents of this "luggage," as represented by the cards in his hand, to the Customs Officer.

3. This Declaration

May either be a true statement of the cards held, or if the player tries to bluff the Customs Officer, a false one. The declaration must make it clear whether it is one or more of an article that is being declared. Declarations must be paid for at the rates shown in list A. If articles are not declared but are discovered by the Customs Officer, fines must be paid as detailed in list B.

The Customs Officer listens to the declaration and levies the tax on items declared.

If he disbelieves the statement he may then "search" the “luggage” by seeing the hand.

4. The Search

If this reveals Contraband, fines are levied by the Customs Officer on the player making the false statement. If, on the other hand, the statement proved correct, the player receives £200 compensation fro the Customs Officer for defamation of character. Once searched the luggage is impounded by the Customs Officer and placed on a discard stack, and the second player, i.e., the player on the left of the first player, collects new luggage by drawing the top four cards from the pack.

5. The Second Player

If the Customs Officer has not searched the luggage, receives from the First player face down, and before looking at it, decides whether he will accept it or become an informer.

If he accepts the luggage, he examines the cards and discards one to a discard stack. He then 'repacks' it by drawing a card from the pack. He now declares the contents to the Customs Officer, as laid down for the First player.

If before looking at the cards, he thinks Player No 1 has deceived the Customs Officer by making a false declaration, he may become an Informer.

6. Informers

Tell the Customs Officer that they suspect the player on their right of having made a false declaration. Should the search prove this correct, the Informer is rewarded by the Customs Officer with £50 and the smuggler pays the Customs Officer fines as set out in scale B. Should the declaration have been true, the Informer must pay £200 to the player he has challenged as compensation for defamation of character.

7. Player No. 3, etc.

Play passes from Player No. 2 to Player No. 3 and so on round to Player No. 1, etc. Players exhausting their funds must retire from the game or borrow from the Customs Officer or another player. When the pack is exhausted, the cards are reshuffled and play continues.

8. The Diplomatic Bag

Entitles the holder to pass through the customs unsearched and without paying any customs duty. Players attempting to do so by a false declaration of having a Diplomatic Bag are liable to a fine of £200 and also to a fine in respect of any dutiable articles in the luggage. A declaration of Diplomatic Bag may be challenged by either a Customs Officer or Informer. The compensation payable for a false accusation is £200.

If a player is passed a hand containing the Diplomatic Bag card he must choose that as the card he discards.

9. Ruritanian Crown Jewels

Are liable to a duty of £200 or fine of £400 if discovered undeclared.

10. The Game Ends

By Agreement,

or When a time fixed beforehand is reached,

or After all players have acted as Customs Officer,

or After the cards have been exhausted and reshuffled an agreed number of times.

The winner is the player with the most money at the end of the game, after allowing for any loans that may have been made.

NOTE.— Players who may at any time be bringing dutiable goods into this country are warned that the figures given are not the figures that would be accepted by the Excise Authorities.