Even on a private jet, traveling with a shotgun in your luggage can pose some problems. Bernie Ecclestone, 95, would have learned this the hard way in Portugal. The former Formula 1 boss was reportedly arrested after arriving at Tires airfield, near Cascais, not far from Lisbon.
According to the Portuguese daily “Correio da Manhã”, the authorities discovered the weapon during a routine check. The Briton would have transported it without having the necessary authorization. The precise circumstances of the incident remain unknown at this time and there is no indication yet whether the businessman will be prosecuted.
An undeclared pistol in his luggage for Switzerland
Bernie Ecclestone has already experienced such a mishap. In 2022, an undeclared pistol was found in his luggage as he prepared to travel to Switzerland by private jet from Brazil.
At the time, he assured that he was completely unaware that the weapon was in his belongings. After paying bail, he was finally allowed to continue his journey.
The former F1 boss then took the matter with his usual deadpan humor. Interviewed by Reuters, he called the incident a “ridiculous little triviality”, before joking that he was no longer getting enough attention so he had to find a way to get people talking about him.
Four years later, history seems to be repeating itself. This time, it was no longer a pistol but a hunting rifle which was discovered in his luggage. It remains to be seen what consequences this new affair will have for the Briton.
