Bernie Ecclestone Questioned by Police Over Shotgun in Portugal

Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone found himself in a tight spot at a Portuguese airport this week after bringing a shotgun intended for a clay pigeon shooting event.

Upon his arrival at Tires Aerodrome in Cascais from Switzerland, the 95-year-old businessman was stopped by four police officers and customs officials. Ecclestone explained that he was not arrested but was questioned for about an hour regarding the weapon he had brought with him.

Despite initially believing there would be no issues—having previously transported the shotgun from England to Switzerland without problems—Ecclestone was required to surrender the firearm due to a lack of proper documentation for its import into Portugal. He praised the police for being “very helpful” during the encounter, dismissing any reports of an arrest.

This incident is not Ecclestone's first brush with law enforcement related to firearms. In 2022, he faced arrest in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun, for which he was fined 6,000 Brazilian reals, approximately £1,000.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk