I expect the intention was for them to take the prisoners for another transaction on behalf of that smuggler. I expect the audience doesn't know any of the details because Rudius never intended to comply with the smuggler's request regardless what the goods happened to be. Silly on the smuggler's part to take them at their word, but maybe the job itself was to save face and he was really just paying Rudy back for saving his life earlier.

I forgot how lewd this show can be, but this is the first episode where it took enough of the screen time from other things to be unwelcome. We got things to do, people!