Contraband Per Se Law and Legal Definition
The term ‘contraband per se’ is used to refer to a property that is in and of itself unlawful to possess, produce or transport. Possession of such property is illegal, no matter how it is used.
Contraband per se means items whose possession of alone constitutes a criminal offense. For example, certain narcotics and counterfeit money; such articles need not be returned to the owner, even if improperly seized by law enforcement officers. [725 ILCS 5/108-2].
