Our fellow collector in trouble!!
From NYT: Arnold Schwarzenegger, the movie-star-turned-former-California-governor, found himself on the wrong side of customs at Munich International Airport when a routine inspection unearthed a luxury watch that the action star had failed to declare.
Mr. Schwarzenegger was reportedly en route to his native Austria from Los Angeles when customs officers at Munich discovered the watch, which the actor told customs officials was to be sold for charity, according to local news reports and a spokesman for the Munich airport’s customs division.
A dinner event and auction for Mr. Schwarzenegger’s Climate Initiative charity was scheduled to be held in Austria on Thursday evening.
Haven’t been collecting long. Vintage mostly, but experimenting lately with some new stuff. Most of my purchases are less than $100.
I wonder what the watch is.
This feels like a misunderstanding that will be straightened out quickly.
I wonder what the watch is.
An Audemar Piguet IIRC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68015612
This feels like a misunderstanding that will be straightened out quickly.
I read in one report that he tried to pay the tax on the spot after he was stopped, but the officials couldn't get their credit card system to work.
Typical government.
Does anyone know what the rule is in Germany? Do you need to pay customs on your watch if you're a tourist (which makes no sense) or only if you're leaving it on the country?
Get to the Choppah.
Get to the Choppah.
It’s not a tumah.
🙄Needless drama. Criminal tax charges? Really? That's how Austria treats one of its most famous sons? 🧐 Unacceptable. 🙅🏻♂️
It’s not a tumah.
And if it was, they'll tax that too
I read in one report that he tried to pay the tax on the spot after he was stopped, but the officials couldn't get their credit card system to work.
Typical government.
I read that in a few sources too. Also, supposedly he answered all questions honestly and was very patient through the whole process, including being driven to a bank that was closed.
Since the watch is for a charity auction and there doesn't appear to be any intent to deceive hopefully he gets a slap on the wrist or no penalty at all.
This is horseshit as it was to be auctioned off for charity.
He should have said
“Hasta la vista, baby!”
I wonder what the watch is.
It's an AP specially made for him I read today
What i'm confused by, is how the authorities knew about the watch in the first place. I go through Munich airport all the time, often with multiple watches, and have never once even been glanced at by customs.
I saw one UK news outlet quoted the value of the watch to be €22,000 but then went on to say that he was charged in excess of €40,000 in taxes which doesn't add up to me.
If he wore the watch, no one would have batted an eye.