Former California Governor and Hollywood star Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained for several hours at Munich Airport for failing to declare his luxury watch, which reportedly resulted in a hefty fine before he was eventually allowed to continue his journey to Austria.
The confusion began after Schwarzenegger’s flight from Los Angeles landed in Germany on Wednesday afternoon. He was stopped by customs officers who searched his luggage and found a custom Audemars Piguet watch.
Customs spokesman Thomas Meister said the incident was being investigated as a possible case of tax evasion. said Germany’s Bild newspaper. “The watch should have been registered because it was imported.” said.
Bild published a photo of the 76-year-old former bodybuilder and action movie star holding the guard post in the office where two customs officers were stationed. Schwarzenegger told the media outlet that he was trying to explain to officials that he was auctioning the watch in Austria on Thursday and that it was for a good cause, which is a climate initiative. „But it didn’t work.”
NEW – Germany launches criminal tax investigation against Arnold Schwarzenegger: Customs caught him with an undeclared luxury watch at Munich airport – BILD pic.twitter.com/kxp7X4CAYx
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 17, 2024
The watch was made specifically for Schwarzenegger and was reportedly worth €20,000 ($21,800). He was further delayed while trying to pay his tax and fine because his credit card machine was not working and the withdrawal limit at the ATM he was brought to was very low.
According to media reports, the payment issue was finally resolved and Schwarzenegger was allowed to continue his journey to Austria approximately three hours after arriving in Munich.
Schwarzenegger has remained outspoken on politics since finishing his second term as governor of California in 2011. In an interview with CNN last June, he said he would run for president and likely win in 2024 if his foreign nationality did not make him unelectable. In November, he lamented that America was likely headed for a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. „new blood” In the White House.
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