In a technological society, virtually anything a character might want to acquire could well be available from online auction or sales sites. Ubiquitous communication allows ubiquitous commerce. Legal items are going to be simple to obtain, and of course there are always darker avenues for shadier equipment.

In the 1950s, getting your hands on plutonium would be virtually impossible. In the 2050s, it might be a lot easier.

This does not mean you have to artificially restrict supply. After all, if the PCs want lots of illegal equipment, there are much more fun things you can do to them than deny the acquisition...

Transcript

Palpatine: So many souls... yet so alone.
Palpatine: Yet, never alone.
Palpatine: How goes construction?
Darth Vader: The Peace Moon is approaching completion.
Palpatine: And the Defence Station?
Darth Vader: It is now operational.
Darth Vader: One of my agents found the Lost Orb in the possession of a Hutt aesthete on Tatooine.
{flashback panel shows Fozec in Jabba's palace, standing behind Leia and Han}
Darth Vader: The fool had bundled it up for auction in a lot of droid parts.
Palpatine: You have found the Orb?
Palpatine: Once more the Moon will shine in the Galaxy... and we shall have peace.
Palpatine: And our dreams shall be haunted no longer.
Clone Trooper: And we all get our bonus!