Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained by customs officials at Munich Airport on January 17, 2024, due to an issue with a luxury watch he owned. He was held for three hours and was asked to pay taxes on the watch, which he agreed to do. The watch was a custom-made Audemars Piguet watch worth over $21,000. Schwarzenegger was released and plans to auction the watch at a charity event.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, 76, was briefly detained at Munich Airport for questioning by officials after a issue arose during the customs process, causing a temporary delay in his travel plans, despite his legendary status as the star of the iconic ‘Terminator‘ film series.
According to Page Six, Schwarzenegger was held for three hours by airport officials, answering questions about a luxury watch he owns, before being released, turning a brief delay into a prolonged interrogation.
The Audemars Piguet watch, a high-end Swiss timepiece valued at over $21,000, was allegedly intended to be auctioned off by Schwarzenegger to benefit his charity in Kitzbuhel, Austria, his hometown, but instead, it raised eyebrows and sparked questions from customs officials, leading to a three-hour detention.
According to Thomas Meister, a spokesperson for Munich customs, criminal proceedings were initiated against Schwarzenegger due to the failure to register the luxury watch, which is a requirement under German law, and this oversight was discovered during the customs inspection, leading to the actor’s brief detention.
According to a source cited by the outlet, Schwarzenegger was not requested to complete a declaration form and simply answered all questions from customs officials truthfully, suggesting that the issue may have been a misunderstanding or an oversight, rather than an intentional violation.
The source described Schwarzenegger’s encounter with customs officials as a “comedy of errors” and an “incompetent shakedown,” stating that he fully cooperated throughout the process, even though it was a farcical and amusing situation that could have been the plot of a humorous cop movie.
Despite being temporarily detained, Schwarzenegger was later spotted grinning and proudly displaying the watch while posing for photos, but it’s understood that he was privately annoyed by the hold-up caused by the customs confusion.
As Schwarzenegger attempted to pay the taxes on the watch, complications arose with the credit card machine, prolonging his detention. When efforts to use an ATM to withdraw the funds failed due to the amount exceeding the withdrawal limit, the process became even more drawn out, adding to the actor’s frustration.
After a series of payment mishaps, Schwarzenegger was finally released from detention when a second credit card machine was located and he was able to complete the transaction. Following his release, he intended to proceed with his plans to auction off his jewelry collection on Thursday, hoping to put the earlier ordeal behind him.
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