On Wednesday, Hollywood icon and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger faced detainment at Munich airport for neglecting to declare a high-value watch. The 76-year-old actor, originally from Austria, was held in the customs area in the afternoon upon his arrival from the United States, as confirmed by customs spokesperson Thomas Meister to AFP. ALSO READ: Arnold Schwarzenegger Plans To Outshine Friend And Arch Rival Sylvester Stallone? Expresses His Desire To Work With Taylor Sheridan-REPORTS
The Terminator star was anticipated to resume his journey later in the day, although the watch might need to remain behind, stated Meister. Criminal proceedings were launched against the True Lies star and former bodybuilding icon for tax evasion, he confirmed. The tax obligations arose because the watch was slated for sale within the European Union, Meister explained. The opulent timepiece was set to be auctioned at a charitable dinner supporting Schwarzenegger's climate initiative in Kitzbuehel on Thursday, as reported by Bild daily. ALSO READ: Arnold Schwarzenegger ESCAPES UNHURT From A Deadly Accident In California, Eyewitness Says, ‘Looked Like A Stunt In A Movie’
Auctions at these dinners typically feature artistic creations and autographed collectables, as detailed on the initiative's website. The custom-made watch for Schwarzenegger was crafted specifically by the renowned Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, as reported by Bild. “Arnold was detained for three hours today at Munich airport for travelling with a watch he owns, that he might be auctioning at his charity auction tomorrow in Kitzbuhel (in Austria),” a source close to the actor told CNN.
The mentioned item was identified as a timepiece from the Swiss luxury brand Audemars Piguet, according to the source. Schwarzenegger, as per the source, was never requested to complete a declaration form, and he truthfully responded to all queries posed by customs officers.
Bild: Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained during a customs check at Munich airport because of an expensive Audemars Piguet wristwatch.
Schwarzenegger claims he was going to auction them off. pic.twitter.com/NoCEEGQy1t
Bild: Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained during a customs check at Munich airport because of an expensive Audemars Piguet wristwatch.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 17, 2024
Schwarzenegger claims he was going to auction them off. pic.twitter.com/NoCEEGQy1t
Despite characterizing the situation as an inept shakedown and a comical sequence of errors suitable for a cop movie, the source noted that the actor remained cooperative throughout. To expedite matters, Schwarzenegger agreed to pre-pay potential taxes on the watch. However, the officers struggled for an hour with a credit card machine, eventually giving up and escorting him to a bank where he was asked to withdraw cash from an ATM to settle the payment, as per the source.
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