Arnold Schwarzenegger Detained at Munich Airport Over Luxury Watch

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hollywood star and former California governor, was detained by customs officers at Munich Airport in Germany on Wednesday for not declaring a luxury watch he was wearing while traveling to Kitzbuhel, Austria. The custom-made watch, designed by luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet, was intended to be auctioned at a charity event for the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, which supports climate projects globally.

Schwarzenegger was held for three hours at the airport while customs officers investigated a possible tax evasion related to the watch. The actor was never asked to fill out a declaration form and tried to pay the taxes for the watch at the airport, but encountered issues with the credit card machine. He was eventually brought to an ATM to withdraw cash, but the withdrawal limit was too low. After multiple delays, customs officers finally managed to process the payment with a working credit card machine.

The incident caused a delay in Schwarzenegger’s journey, but he was eventually allowed to continue on his way. The watch, however, had to stay with the customs officers. Customs spokesperson Thomas Meister confirmed the incident and stated that a criminal procedure investigation is ongoing. It is important to note that Schwarzenegger’s non-profit organization, the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, will properly report the auctioned watch.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to appear at the Dinner & Auction for Environmental Protection in Kitzbuhel, Austria on January 18. The event aims to raise funds for the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, which organizes the annual Austrian World Summit climate conference in Vienna and supports climate projects globally.

This incident highlights the customs regulations surrounding the declaration of valuable items when traveling internationally and serves as a reminder for travelers to be aware of such requirements. German customs guidelines state that travelers must declare valuable objects such as jewelry and expensive cameras, and goods intended for commercial or trading purposes must always be declared regardless of their value.

This article was written by Cara Tabachnick, a news editor and journalist at CBS News, who previously worked for publications such as Newsday, Marie Claire, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. The incident was initially reported by BILD and TIME. The Munich Airport website provides additional information on customs procedures and requirements.