The “Terminator” actor and former governor of California was detained at an airport in Munich on Wednesday for approximately three hours for allegedly not declaring a luxury watch he had packed in his luggage while traveling to his native Austria, CBS News reported.
Schwarzenegger, 76, is expected to face criminal tax proceedings, according to CNN.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the former champion bodybuilder was detained at Munich International Airport after customs officials discovered a custom-made Swiss brand Audemars Piguet wristwatch, worth $21,000, in his suitcase, according to Bild, a German media outlet.
“Terminator” star and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained at a German airport for several hours on Wednesday and will face criminal proceedings for not declaring a luxury watch at customs. https://t.co/bPxJJc6r06
“He did not declare a product. A product that was imported from non-EU countries in order to remain in the EU. And this process applies to everyone,” Thomas Meister, a Munich Customs press officer, told CNN.
Meister added that the actor was released and allowed to continue to Austria.
A spokesperson for Schwarzenegger said he had flown from Los Angeles and was preparing to donate the watch for a charity event organized by his climate foundation in Kitzbühel, Austria, according to the newspaper.
“He was detained for three hours. He owns the watch. None of the people I know and sat next to on our commercial flight filled out a declaration form, including Arnold. He got to customs, and they told him he was ‘randomly’ selected to be searched,” Daniel Ketchell, told The Washington Post. “During the search, he answered every single question the customs officer asked, so to say he didn’t declare anything is 100% false.”
Ketchell was on the same flight as the actor, according to the newspaper.
A photo published by Bild showed Schwarzenegger holding the watch box while customs officers sat in the background, the Post reported.
“All is well now, and we look forward to a successful charity event for the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative,” Ketchell told the newspaper.
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1992: Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger looks on during the Inner City Games in Los Angeles, California. (Allsport / Allsport)
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at Perspectives, a forum sponsored by the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, September 21, 2001 in Sacramento, CA. (Joe Jaszewski/Getty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger passes the Olympic Flame to the cauldron at Universal City Walk during the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay in Los Angeles, California. (Todd Warshaw/Pool/Getty Images)
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) and wife, journalist Maria Shriver, attend the premiere of the film Collateral Damage February 4, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA. (Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver arrive at the 40th Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 19, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger waves to the crowd during a rally at Horton Plaza shopping center December 2, 2003 in downtown San Diego, California. (Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a point has he holds up a chart showing what he said was a need for passage of more then $15 billion in bonds January 9, 2004 in Sacramento, California. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) appears on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at the NBC Studios on March 1, 2004 in Burbank, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
(L to R) California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his wife Dany attend the screening of "Be Cool" at the Crest Theater on February 15, 2005 in Sacramento, California. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger drives by the damaged area on January 12, 2005 in La Conchita, California where ten people have been reported as found dead and six are still missing after a mudslide. (Tina Burch-Pool/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks carefully with 15 stitches in his lip from a weekend motorcycle accident, as he visits the Northeast Valley Health Corp. Woman, Infant, Child Center. (David McNew/Getty Images)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver pose with their children Christopher, Patrick, Katherine and Christina at a pre-premiere softball game with "The Benchwarmers" at UCLA's Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. (Kevin Winter/Getty Image)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger along with his wife Maria Shriver and children enjoy the entertainment after he was sworn into office for a second term as Governor in Sacramento, California. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger endorses Republican presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. John McCain as former New York City mayor candidate Rudi Giuliani looks on during a tour of the Solar Integrated Technologies factory. (David McNew/Getty Images)
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) and actor/director Sylvester Stallone arrive at the world premiere of the movie "Rambo" at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino January 24, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) arrives with members of his family at a memorial for U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library August 28, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger meets with U.S. troops and their families for a rally with the troops at the U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan on September 15, 2010 in Seoul, South Korea. (Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)
Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presents "Arnold Classic Europe" 2011 Party at "Jardines Cecilio Rodriguez" on October 7, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. (Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
(L-R) Actors Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Terry Crews speak at "The Expendables 2 Real American Heroes" Panel during Comic-Con International 2012 at San Diego Convention Center. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
(L-R) Patrick Schwarzenegger, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Christopher Schwarzenegger arrive at the premiere of Lionsgate Films' "The Last Stand" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 14, 2013 in Hollywood, Ca. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger poses next to his gubernatorial portrait at the unveiling in the Rotunda of the State Capitol September 8, 2014 in Sacramento, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the Seoul Press Conference of "Terminator Genisys" at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on July 2, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International)
Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the NBCUniversal 2016 Upfront Presentation on May 16, 2016 in New York, New York. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)
Jean-Michel Cousteau and Arnold Schwarzenegger attend Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Michel Cousteau Photocall for 'Wonders of the Sea 3D' during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival at Nikki Beach on May 20, 2017. (Antony Jones/Getty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger attends the 7th Annual Sean Penn & Friends HAITI RISING Gala benefiting J/P Haitian Relief Organization on January 6, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for for J/P HRO Gala)
Arnold Schwarzenegger: The actor speaks at The 15th Annual Holocaust Museum LA Gala in his honor on Nov. 6, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)
