Arnold Schwarzenegger, the renowned action movie star, found himself in an unexpected situation at Munich airport. He was detained for a staggering three hours by customs officials. The reason behind this detainment was the alleged improper declaration of a watch that Schwarzenegger owned. According to reports, the timepiece in question was said to be worth more than $21,000 and was potentially going to be auctioned off for charity at his upcoming event in Austria.
Munich’s customs agency spokesperson, Thomas Meister, informed Bild that the delay was due to the fact that the watch should have been registered upon Schwarzenegger’s arrival as it constituted an import. This led the agency to initiate criminal tax proceedings against the celebrity. It is important to note that Schwarzenegger was never asked to fill out a declaration form, and he repeatedly answered all the customs officers’ questions truthfully.
According to an inside source, Schwarzenegger handled the situation cooperatively, considering it to be an incompetent shakedown. The source compared the entire ordeal to a comedy of errors that could be transformed into a funny cop movie. Despite the inconveniences caused by the customs officials, Schwarzenegger was photographed holding the box containing the watch with a smile on his face, appearing relatively unfazed.
The customs officers requested that Schwarzenegger pre-pay the potential taxes for the watch, regardless of it being his personal property. Agreeing to this request, he attempted to use his credit card to complete the transaction. However, the officers faced complications with the credit card machine, which caused an unnecessary delay of up to an hour. When they decided to accompany him to an ATM to withdraw cash instead, they encountered another setback – the required amount exceeded his available funds, and the bank was already closed for the day.
Returning from the bank, a new customs officer arrived with a functional credit card machine, enabling Schwarzenegger to pay the outstanding taxes. Throughout the interrogation, Schwarzenegger remained relatively calm. However, as time passed and the procedures continued, frustrations eventually began to mount for him, evident from his reaction to the situation.
Schwarzenegger was finally released from detention and was determined to proceed with the auction of his watch as planned. It is worth noting that the proceeds from this charity auction, organized by the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, will be thoroughly reported, just like all of Arnold’s other non-profit initiatives. These auctions have consistently raised millions of dollars every year, benefiting after-school programs for children throughout the United States and environmental projects around the globe.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s unexpected detainment at Munich airport was a series of unfortunate events that turned into a comedy of errors. Despite the inconvenience caused by the customs officials, Schwarzenegger maintained his composure and even found humor in the situation. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by travelers when dealing with customs laws and the administrative procedures that accompany them. As Schwarzenegger moves forward with his charity auction, he continues to positively impact countless individuals through his philanthropic endeavors.
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