Arnold Schwarzenegger was briefly detained by customs officials at Munich airport on Wednesday after allegedly failing to declare a luxury watch he planned to auction for his climate charity. The 76-year-old actor and former California governor was held for about three hours upon arrival from Los Angeles.
Officers searched his luggage and found an Audemars Piguet watch that had not been declared on his customs form. A Munich customs spokesperson confirmed criminal tax proceedings had been initiated, stating: 'The watch should have been registered because it is an import.'
Schwarzenegger said he tried to explain the watch was for his Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative and would be auctioned at an event in Kitzbühel, Austria. He told German tabloid Bild: 'This is the problem that Germany is suffering from. You can no longer see the forest for the trees.'
Officials charged him €35,000, including €4,000 in tax and a €5,000 penalty. He offered to pay by credit card, but German rules required half in cash, so customs officers accompanied him to a bank to withdraw the money before he was allowed to continue.
A customs spokesperson told Sueddeutsche Zeitung: 'If the goods remain in the EU, you have to declare them through customs. This applies to everyone, whether their name is Schwarzenegger or Müller, Meier, Huber.' The watch was specially made by Swiss manufacturer Audemars Piguet.
The auction on Thursday includes a training session with Schwarzenegger, artworks, and signed memorabilia. Proceeds support the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, which organises the Austrian World Summit and backs global climate projects.
