Arnold Schwarzenegger faced a three-hour detention by customs officers at Munich airport on Wednesday, January 17, 2023, after failing to declare a luxury watch he was wearing while traveling to Austria.
The 76-year-old Hollywood star and former California governor, who intended to auction the watch at a charity event in Austria, was held by authorities for not declaring the valuable timepiece. The watch was reportedly custom-made for Schwarzenegger by Swiss luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.
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According to a CBS News report, Schwarzenegger, who was never asked to fill out a declaration form, attempted to pay the taxes for the watch at the airport.
However, due to technical issues with the credit card machine, the actor was detained until a working machine was made available. He then tried to withdraw money from an ATM, but the limit was too low, and the subsequent closure of the bank further delayed the process.
Schwarzenegger’s detention caused a delay in his travel plans, but he was eventually expected to be allowed to continue his journey, although the luxury watch might need to remain in custody.
A source close to the actor mentioned that once the watch is auctioned, it will be properly reported, as all of Schwarzenegger’s non-profit organizations do.
The actor had been scheduled to appear at a charity event to raise funds for The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, supporting climate projects globally. A criminal procedure investigation for possible tax evasion is currently underway, according to the customs spokesperson.
