Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly been arrested in Portugal for allegedly carrying a shotgun at an airport, in accordance with Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha.
The previous F1 boss was detained after routine inspection as his non-public jet landed at Tires Aerodrome in Cascais, an airfield outdoors of Lisbon.
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His arrest was “carried out by officers from the Airport Division of the PSP (Portuguese Public Safety Police),” the outlet mentioned.
The 95-year-old was coming from Switzerland.
Bernie Ecclestone in the course of the European F1 Grand Prix observe on Sunday, June 19, 2005, in Nurburg, Germany. Ecclestone. NurPhoto by way of Getty Photos
Ecclestone admitted to Every day Mail he traveled with out the proper documentation for having a gun on him and was held up for “hours” on the airport.
“I had a gun that I used to be bringing over from Switzerland to Portugal for clay-pigeon taking pictures. It is so simple as that. I’ve weapons at house there which might be licensed,” he mentioned.
“We cleared customs on arriving right here – I do know the blokes there – and so they have been positive with every little thing. No issues. Then a policeman afterwards requested to go looking the bag. It might have been [his six-year-old son] Ace’s fishing deal with for all it appeared like, but it surely wasn’t.
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“They requested if I had a ‘blue e book’, which is outwardly the documentation you want, and I informed them I by no means journey with paperwork like that, any paperwork in any respect virtually. They mentioned they might arrest me, however after what appeared like hours, we sorted it out, but it surely has been wall-to-wall aggravation.”
He added his spouse Fabiana Flosi, 49, went to Lisbon to deal with the issues for him.
Former racing driver Bernie Ecclestone walks within the paddock together with his spouse Fabiana Flosi and their son Ace in the course of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Purple Bull Ring on June 28, 2026, in Spielberg, Austria. Getty Photos
Bernie Ecclestone on the grid with Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the System One Group, in the course of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Purple Bull Ring on June 28, 2026, in Spielberg, Austria. System 1 by way of Getty Photos
A spokesman for the PSP police pressure, which in accordance with Portuguese media stories made the arrest, mentioned informed Every day Mail, “Our border management officers have not made the arrest that is being attributed to them.”
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This incident was not Ecclestone’s first challenge with touring with a gun.
He was arrested for illegally carrying a gun whereas boarding a personal plan in Could 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. On the time, he claimed he was unaware it was in his baggage.
He described it as a “foolish, tiny little incident” and ultimately paid bail and flew to Switzerland.
Ecclestone was the CEO of F1 from 1987 to 2017.
