Arnold Schwarzenegger was detained and is facing criminal tax proceedings after being stopped by customs officials at Munich Airport, officials in Germany said.
The "Terminator" actor and former California governor was stopped for a routine check on arrival Wednesday and questioned for 2½ hours before being allowed to leave, an airport customs spokesperson told NBC News.
A source close to Schwarzenegger said that the actor, 76, was detained over a luxury watch he had brought into the country while en route to a charity event in Austria, his birth country. The watch was intended to be a prize at a charity auction Thursday in aid of the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, the source said.
"He cooperated at every step even though it was an incompetent shakedown, a total comedy of errors that would make a very funny cop movie," the source said.
"Criminal tax proceedings have been initiated by us. This will then be processed by our criminal and fines office. It's too early to say what the outcome will be. There are many factors that have to be taken into account. It will still take some time," said Thomas Meister, spokesman for Munich's customs office, speaking to German broadcaster RTL.
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