Arnold Schwarzenegger encountered a bureaucratic hassle at Munich Airport when attempting to pass through customs with an “unregistered” luxury watch. The actor and former politician was detained for three hours as customs officials conducted what has been described as an “incompetent shakedown.”
Schwarzenegger, known for iconic gun-toting roles, was detained due to the watch he owned, which he intended to auction in Austria. Despite not being asked to fill out a declaration form, he agreed to prepay potential taxes on the watch to expedite the process.
Customs officials attempted to process the payment using a credit card machine for an hour, facing multiple failures. Ultimately, Schwarzenegger was escorted to a bank to withdraw cash from an ATM. However, the ATM had a low limit, resulting in the taxes amounting to $10,613, and the closed bank further complicated the situation. Eventually, a working credit card machine was brought in to complete the transaction.
The Munich Main Customs Office initiated criminal proceedings, emphasizing the need to declare the watch as it was considered an import staying in the EU. The prolonged process was attributed to the necessity of checking the rest of Schwarzenegger’s luggage.
Despite the airport ordeal, the watch is expected to be auctioned, with the proceeds going to the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, a nonprofit supporting global clean energy efforts. The incident adds a humorous twist to Schwarzenegger’s eventful day at the airport, reminiscent of his action-packed film roles.
