Bernie Ecclestone questioned in Portugal over undocumented shotgun

CASCAIS — Bernie Ecclestone claimed he knows the guys at customs, but that familiarity failed to exempt the 95-year-old former Formula One chief from being made a defendant in Portuguese criminal proceedings on Monday. Portuguese officials detained Ecclestone at Tires Aerodrome after discovering an undocumented shotgun on his private jet arriving from Switzerland.

The detention creates a stark contrast between the tycoon's perception of the event as nonsense and the reality of Portuguese law, which dictates that individuals found with undocumented firearms are formally processed as defendants. While Ecclestone described the ordeal as wall-to-wall aggravation, the seizure of the weapon marks the second time in four years he has been detained at an airport for carrying an undocumented firearm.

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Detention at Tires Aerodrome

The incident unfolded shortly after Ecclestone's private jet landed at Tires Aerodrome in Cascais. Following a routine inspection, officials discovered a shotgun. Ecclestone told The Guardian that he brought the weapon to participate in a clay-pigeon shooting competition, an event he only learned about a few days prior through his wife, Fabiana Flosi.

According to Ecclestone, he initially cleared customs without issue, stating he told officers he had nothing really to declare besides usual personal things. However, he was subsequently asked to speak with police, who questioned him regarding the documentation for the firearm.

"They asked where is the blue book for the gun? And I said: ‘I don’t know, I have never heard about a blue book in my life.’"

Bernie Ecclestone, via The Guardian

The blue book serves as a passport for firearms. Ecclestone asserted that he owns licensed guns in Switzerland and had previously imported the shotgun from England through normal channels, but he admitted to the Times of India that he practically never travels with any documents.

Dispute Over 'Arrest' Status

A significant discrepancy has emerged regarding the nature of Ecclestone's detention. While outlets such as Lbc reported that he was arrested, the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP) explicitly denied these claims.

A spokesperson for the PSP stated that their border control officers did not make the arrest attributed to them, clarifying that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Tax and Customs Authority – Lisbon Delegation. Ecclestone supported this distinction, telling the Press Association, No, when asked if he had been arrested, adding that the police were very helpful.

Despite the lack of a formal police arrest, the legal consequence remains: under standard Portuguese procedure, the firearm is seized and the possessor is made a defendant in criminal proceedings.

A Pattern of Undocumented Firearms

The events in Portugal echo a previous encounter with customs authorities in South America. In May 2022, Ecclestone was detained at Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil, while preparing to board a flight to Switzerland. In that instance, an X-ray of his luggage revealed a .32-caliber LW Seecamp pistol.

Regarding the Brazil incident, Ecclestone told the Times of India that he had purchased the pistol from a Formula One mechanic five years prior. He described the 2022 event as a silly, tiny little incident, claiming at the time that he was unaware the gun was in his luggage.

Financial and Personal Context

The detention occurred as Ecclestone and Flosi further solidify their ties to Portugal. According to Aol, the couple recently purchased a property in the Quinta da Marinha resort area of Cascais for approximately £35m. The deal was described by the Portuguese publication Correio da Manhã as the largest private sale of a home in the country's history.

This legal friction follows a period of significant judicial scrutiny for the former F1 chief. In October 2023, Ecclestone was convicted of tax fraud at South the Southwark Crown Court, where he agreed to pay more than £650 million in penalties and unpaid taxes. He received a suspended prison sentence of 17 months.

The resolution of the current matter now rests with the Tax and Customs Authority in Lisbon. Fabiana Flosi has traveled to the city to handle the necessary paperwork, which involves either the formal surrender of the shotgun or the payment of duties to secure a temporary import permit.