Ex-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped by customs over a luxury watch after arriving in Germany

BERLIN — Arnold Schwarzenegger, the renowned actor and former California governor, experienced a delay at Munich Airport due to customs issues involving a high-value watch he brought into Germany. Schwarzenegger, who was potentially planning to auction the watch at a charity event, was held up for approximately 2½ hours during a routine check, as confirmed by customs spokesperson Thomas Meister on Thursday.

The issue centered around EU customs regulations, which require the declaration and potential duty payment on goods valued over 430 euros ($467) that are intended to stay in the EU. The watch in question, a special edition from Swiss manufacturer Audemars Piguet, was reportedly valued by Schwarzenegger at around 20,000 euros ($21,739), as per German daily Bild, which first reported the incident.

The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, in an email statement, clarified that the actor was traveling with a personal watch, which he might auction at his charity event in Kitzbuehel, Austria. The statement criticized the detention as an “incompetent shakedown,” noting that Schwarzenegger cooperated fully and even agreed to prepay potential taxes on the watch.

The organization emphasized that the auction of the watch was still likely, and any proceedings would be properly reported, adhering to the standard practices of Schwarzenegger’s non-profits. Schwarzenegger’s charity auctions are known for raising millions annually for children’s after-school programs in the U.S. and global environmental initiatives.

The case is now being forwarded to a customs penalty body in Augsburg for further evaluation.