Schwarzenegger Detained by German Authorities

On 17/01/2024, Austrian American actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained by customs officials at Munich Airport in Germany for approximately three hours after failing to declare a custom made luxury watch he had brought into the country. The watch, reportedly intended for auction at a charity event in Kitzbühel, Austria, triggered a customs inspection when authorities determined it should have been declared upon entry into the European Union. German customs officials said the item was treated as an import because it was to remain within the EU after the auction. The timepiece was identified as a custom Audemars Piguet watch. According to Munich customs authorities, Schwarzenegger was required to declare the watch and potentially pay import tax based on its value. Officials said he cooperated during the process but encountered difficulties when attempting to pay the assessed tax, reportedly due to card payment issues. After the matter was resolved, he was allowed to continue his journey to Austria, where he attended a charity dinner connected to the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative. German customs later confirmed that the watch had been seized temporarily while the tax and any applicable penalty were calculated. Reports indicated that the total amount paid included import tax and a fine, after which the watch was released so it could proceed to the charity auction. The auction later took place in Kitzbühel, where proceeds were intended to support environmental and climate related projects associated with Schwarzenegger’s initiative.