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Stopping Cars in Contraband Police
Image via Crazy Rocks

Should You Arrest Gavrilov in Contraband Police? Answered

Overthrow the government!

Contraband Police, as its name might suggest, is a popular simulation game about checking vehicles as a police officer for contraband. Busting contraband-handling criminals is fun, but there’s a much deeper mystery than just what’s hiding in people’s trunks, however – there’s a lot more story and lore to this game than you might think at first glance!

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In Contraband Police, players are allowed to arrest, release, and even accept bribes from NPCs. One such NPC is a man named Gavrilov, who will ask that you let him go to help him overthrow the government. This is one of the most important decisions you can make in the entire game, and what you choose determines the entire outcome of your playthrough! Keep reading to find out what you should do with Gavrilov in Contraband Police!

Should You Arrest Gavrilov or Release Him in Contraband Police?

You wouldn’t think it at first, but choosing to arrest or release Gavrilov in Contraband Police is one of the most important decisions you can make in the entire game. Your decision to put Gavrilov behind bars or let him go has the potential to dramatically alter your playthrough of Contraband Police; in fact, what ending you get depends entirely on this choice (no pressure).

Once you’re introduced to Gavrilov, he will propose an alternative choice to arresting him: let him go and help him overthrow the corrupt government you work for. It’s a tough choice, and what you choose is ultimately up to you, but keep in mind that your game’s ending and gameplay will be nearly entirely dependent on what you choose.

For the most part, however, the majority of Contraband Police fans agree that choosing to release Gavrilov is the best choice. Rebelling and choosing to overthrow governments will always be the most exciting option in any game, and Contraband Police is no exception!

If you want to make your playthrough of Contraband Police the most exciting it can be, you should definitely choose to let Gavrilov go when given the option.

Driving scene in Contraband Police.
Image via Crazy Rocks

What Happens If You Arrest Gavrilov?

If you choose to ignore Gavrilov’s proposition and arrest him, you’ll have locked yourself into the somewhat-boring government route. After he’s been arrested, you’ll simply continue to do your job as normal: you’ll get to keep checking cars, arresting criminals, collecting contraband, and earning a government-issued salary.

Choosing to side with the government doesn’t necessarily lead to a bad route, but it does lead to a pretty boring one. Choosing to side with the rebels is way more exciting than checking cars and earning a measly paycheck. Who wouldn’t want to overthrow a corrupt government if given the chance??

What Happens If You Release Gavrilov?

If you choose to release Gavrilov, you won’t experience any immediate outcomes, but it will make your game much more exciting down the line. By letting Gavrilov go, you’ll be siding with the rebels and agreeing to help them overthrow the government.

Releasing Gavrilov will lock you into the rebel route, and you’ll have a much different gameplay experience than if you were to arrest him. There will be a lot more excitement, a lot more guns, and a lot less government corruption (and a better ending!). If you want your Contraband Police playthrough to be the wildest ride possible, then you should definitely side with the rebels!

Related: Contraband Police: Mysterious Murder Guide


Although many fans agree that letting Gavrilov go is the best possible choice, you can always simply play the game more than once and experience both options. Contraband Police isn’t a very long game and usually only takes players a dozen or so hours to complete, so letting Gavrilov go in one playthrough and arresting him in another isn’t too far-fetched of an idea.

If you love playing Contraband Police but find yourself getting stuck in the game often, then it’s strongly recommended that you check out some of Gamer Journalist’s Contraband Police guides, like the How to Find All Hidden Stashes in Contraband Police – Locations Guide!

Author
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Allysen Pierce
Allysen Pierce is a freelance writer with a passion for gaming who has been a part of the Gamer Journalist team since May 2022. Her main passions are horror games and dating sims (especially combinations of the two), but she has been known to play literally anything that is put in front of her. Her current favorite games include Skyrim, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist, Cult of the Lamb, Slaughter Horse, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. When she's not playing games (or writing about them), she can be found reading, baking, watching horror movies, or playing with her cat.