Arnold Schwarzenegger detained at Munich Airport over watch: reports

Tampa (W.F.L.A.) — Movie star and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained for several hours at Munich airport over an unregistered luxury watch, multiple reports said.

of german paper bild Schwarzenegger, 76, was planning to head to the World Climate Summit in Kitzbühel with a luxury watch that he plans to auction off for charity at a dinner party Thursday night.

build and TMZ The actor was reportedly stopped by customs officials for a “no-suspect” baggage search, during which time a luxury watch was discovered.

The watch, which Schwarzenegger said was worth 20,000 euros (just over $21,700), will be sold by Swiss manufacturer Audemars Piguet for Schwarzenegger's personal collection, according to Bild newspaper. It is said to have been specially manufactured.

Munich Central Customs spokesperson Thomas Meister told the newspaper that the watch should be registered as an imported item and that criminal proceedings under tax law had been opened.

“This is the problem Germany is suffering from. We no longer see the forest for the trees,” Schwarzenegger told BILD.The watch will be auctioned, but it will still fetch 35,000 euros (about $38,000). He said he told officials he would be fined half of the amount, half of which he would have to pay in cash.

What the people involved said TMZ Schwarzenegger was reportedly detained for three hours and had to be taken to a nearby bank to withdraw cash for the fine. When the ATM didn't have enough funds, airport staff brought in a working credit card machine.

It's unclear whether Schwarzenegger will face further repercussions, but Schwarzenegger spokesman Daniel Ketchel said: washington post “Lawyers are working on this issue,” he said, adding, “Arnold always pays taxes, so we don't expect there to be any problems.”