"Before getting in bed with the Jedi, Han Solo smuggled a fictional drug known as “spice” (the sci-fi classic Dune definitely had an influence on George Lucas) while in the employ of Tatooine’s notorious crime lord, Jabba the Hutt . . . In early drafts of Star Wars, spice was central to the plot. Instead of transporting the all-important plans for the Death Star, Princess Leia was sneaking “two hundred pounds of the greatly treasured aura spice.” from the article @ http://www.konbini.com/us/entertainment/han-solo-drug-smuggler-star-wars/ .