- The actor and former politician was held for a brief time at an airport in Munich for failing to declare a watch that was set to be auctioned off for his climate charity
Actor and former U.S. politician Arnold Schwarzenegger has been briefly detained by German customs officers at Munich Airport for allegedly failing to declare a valuable luxury watch.
The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger was eventually able to continue on his journey, said a Spokesperson for the main customs office in Munich on Wednesday evening.
Criminal proceedings for tax evasion had been initiated against Schwarzenegger, a world-champion bodybuilder and action film star who also served two terms as governor of California.
Why was Schwarzenegger stopped by customs?
According to the customs authorities, Schwarzenegger had not declared a valuable luxury watch upon arrival in Munich, although he apparently planned to leave it in the European Union.
Schwarzenegger was on his way to Austria for a charity auction in which he planned to sell the watch to benefit climate initiatives, according to the climate initiative that he founded.
“If the goods remain in the (European Union) you have to pay tax and duty on them,” said the customs spokesman. “That applies to everyone.”
“We have taken up the matter. The case will now go to the responsible criminal and fines office in Augsburg,” said the customs spokesperson.
Tax should have been paid on the watch because Schwarzenegger was intending to sell it in the European Union, according to the spokesperson.
According to German tabloid Bild, officials charged Schwarzenegger €35,000 ($57,890), which included €4,000 ($6,610) in tax and a €5,000 ($8,270) penalty.
Schwarzenegger was detained by German customs officers at Munich Airport on Wednesday for failing to declare a valuable luxury watch. Source: Getty / Johann Groder/APA/EXEPA/AFP
The star had agreed in Munich to pay customs duty on his watch, the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative said.
“He co-operated at all times, even though it was an incompetent investigation, a total comedy of errors, but one that would make a very funny police film,” the statement said.
“We hope that Germany invests as much energy in reorganising its economy and making it more environmentally friendly as it does in levying customs duties on people’s property,” it said.
What do you have to declare when entering Europe?
When entering European Union countries from a non-EU country, travellers are allowed to bring in personal goods up to a value of €430 ($710) without declaring them – though not for commercial purposes.
In many countries’ cases, including Germany, travellers from outside the EU are required to declare goods they bring with them valued over €430, and import duties will also need to be paid on the item’s value.
The EU allows some goods to be exempt from import duties when they are for charitable or philanthropic organisations, but they still need to be declared and proven to be for that purpose.
@SBS Australia
