Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger faced a three-hour detention at Munich airport after allegedly neglecting to declare a luxury watch intended for charity auction. An investigation into

potential tax evasion was initiated as the watch was meant to be auctioned within the European Union (EU). EU regulations stipulate that individuals carrying "cash or certain valuable items" exceeding €10,000 (£8,580) must declare them. However, sources claim Schwarzenegger was not asked to fill out a declaration form.

As a politician, actor, and climate change advocate, Schwarzenegger eventually managed to pay the tax, overcoming several challenges. Initial issues with a card machine were followed by the discovery that the nearest bank was closed, and ATM withdrawal limits were insufficient. Consequently, the 76-year-old had to wait for customs officials to bring a new card machine. The actor's spokesperson described the incident at the airport as "a total comedy full of errors" that could make for an amusing police film.

German tabloid Bild reported that Schwarzenegger handled the situation calmly, with a published image showing him smiling while holding a box for the watch with a note reading "For Austria." The watch, custom-made by luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet, was reportedly scheduled for auction at a fundraising dinner for The Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative in Kitzbuhel, Austria, near Munich. Audemars Piguet is known for crafting timepieces that can command prices in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

A press release for the fundraising event at the Stanglwirt hotel in Kitzbuhel mentioned that various items, including artworks, signed exhibits, and experiences from sports and film, would be available for sale. An auction listing for the watch, obtained by Bild, stated that only 20 of these watches exist, featuring an image of Arnold Schwarzenegger in his iconic pose with the words "Arnold Classic." The starting bid was set at €50,000. Photo by Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia commons.