Arnold Schwarzenegger ended up detained while visiting Munich, Germany this week. The reason? The actor failed to declare a watch he planned to auction for charity.
According to the New York Post, authorities detained Schwarzenegger after discovering the watch in his luggage. The Swiss brand Audemars Piguet wristwatch is worth $21,000. Schwarzenegger explained he planned to auction the watch. Authorities took the actor into custody where the long detainment got on the actor’s nerves.
Authorities asked Schwarzenegger a series of questions about both his family and financial situation. Customs will reportedly charge Schwarzenegger with failure to register the watch.
“We have initiated criminal tax proceedings,” Thomas Meister, a spokesperson for the customs office, said. “The watch should have been registered because it is an import.” However, reportedly, authorities never asked Schwarzenegger to produce any forms. Additionally, Schwarzenegger cooperated with authorities the entire step of the way.
“He was never asked to fill out a declaration form and he answered every question from customs officers honestly,” a source tells The Post. “He cooperated at every step even though it was an incompetent shakedown, a total comedy of errors that would make a very funny cop movie.”
The source continued, “Arnold agreed to pre-pay potential taxes on the watch and the officers failed to use a credit card machine for an hour until they gave up.” Authorities took Schwarzenegger to one ATM, but the card had a withdrawal limit.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Detained for Hours
The actor finally solved the issue with a different credit card. He was able to withdraw the needed amount. Finally, authorities released Schwarzenegger and let him go on his way. The actor plans to auction the watch at the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative charity auction in Kitzbuhel, Austria.
“The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative will properly report it, as all of Arnold’s nonprofits do,” the source notes. “His charity auctions raise millions of dollars every year for after-school programs for kids all over the United States and environmental work around the world.
The source hopes that authorities will stop hassling the actor and focus on important matters to the country. The source close to Schwarzenegger left this scathing statement about the way things were handled.
They said, “We hope Germany spends as much energy turning around their economy as they do asking for tax payments for people’s property they bring into the country, and we hope next time they don’t make him pay taxes on his suits.”