De acordo com os factbooks publicados ao lado do filme, Han realmente voltou a uma vida de crime.
De Star Wars: O Despertar da Força: O Dicionário Visual
After the Galactic Civil War, Han Solo's life took unexpected turns as he became husband to an influential New Republic politician, a family man and - for a time - successful racing pilot. But the peace of this life as not to last, and after a profound tragedy upended what had become normal for the Corellian, Solo returned to his old life as a tramp freighter captain, smuggler and freelance law bender.
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As easily as the Millennium Falcon fell into Solo's life after a heated game of sabacc, so it was destined to abandon him after a change in fate. Solo made do with other ships at his disposal, eventually settling on an enormous bulk freighter named the Eravana, which he uses to haul massive shipments of legally questionable cargo. The ship is largely automated, meaning Solo and Chewbacca can handle most of the work, but on particularly dangerous or profitable hauls he hires additional hands.
De Guerra nas Estrelas: Incríveis Seções Cruzadas - A Força Desperta , vemos que Han está carregando itens roubados, ilegais speeders e animais do mercado negro como Rathtars .
A novela júnior do filme também faz notar que eles são instantaneamente identificáveis como contrabandistas
The pair who came aboard the Millennium Falcon were not stormtroopers but smugglers. One was old, human, and somewhat scruffy-looking. The other was almost a half-meter taller and much hairier. They entered the freighter with a measure of fondness and caution, as it had been a long time since they’d walked down her corridors.