US actor Arnold Schwarzenegger auctioned off a luxury watch for 270,000 euros that he forgot to declare when he landed in Munich, Germany, the previous day, AFP reports.
"A happy ending to Arnold Schwarzenegger's customs adventure," Schwarzenegger's Climate Initiative wrote in a press release, with proceeds going to the environmental organisation that organised the evening in the luxury Austrian ski resort of Kitzbühel.
On stage, to the amusement of the 160 guests he had selected, including US climate envoy John Kerry, the Hollywood star joked about the Munich incident and the watch and handcuffs officials could have given him.
"It was a crazy experience," he said.
Arriving in Munich from the United States, the 76-year-old Austrian-American and former governor of California was detained at the southern German airport for failing to declare the Swiss-made valuable item to customs. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against him for tax fraud.
In addition to the watch, artwork and a workout with the former weightlifter were auctioned. A total of €1.31 million was raised to support projects dear to the actor, who organises an annual climate conference in Vienna. / BGNES
