Former Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone was arrested by Portuguese authorities on Monday, September 7, 2026, after police discovered an unlicensed shotgun aboard his private jet at Tires Aerodrome near Lisbon.
The 95-year-old British billionaire was intercepted during customs inspections following a flight from Switzerland.
Local law enforcement detained the longtime motorsport boss after determining he lacked the mandatory documentation required to transport firearms into the country, prompting an extended police questioning session.
Bernie Ecclestone Explains Clay Pigeon Shooting Trip
Speaking directly about the airport detention, Ecclestone dismissed any deliberate wrongdoing and insisted the firearm was intended strictly for sport.
“I had a gun that I was bringing over from Switzerland to Portugal for clay pigeon shooting. It is as simple as that. I have guns at home there that are licensed,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail. “We cleared customs on arriving here, I know the guys there, and they were fine with everything. Then a policeman asked to search the bag. It could have been Ace fishing tackle for all it looked like, but it was not.”
Ecclestone detailed how the lack of specific paperwork triggered his detention by Portuguese authorities.
“They asked if I had a blue book, which is apparently the documentation you need, and I told them I never travel with documents like that, any documents at all, practically. They said they would arrest me, but after what seemed like hours, we sorted it out, but it has been wall-to-wall aggravation,” Ecclestone explained, adding that his wife, Fabiana Flosi, traveled to Lisbon to surrender the weapon and pay the required fees.
Second Airport Firearms Incident For Former Motorsport Supremo
Monday detention marks the second time in four years that Ecclestone has faced airport arrest over weapons violations.
In May 2022, Brazilian federal police detained him at Viracopos International Airport in Campinas after finding an undocumented pocket pistol inside his luggage before boarding a flight to Switzerland.
Ecclestone, who ran Formula One for nearly 40 years until 2017, has faced repeated legal issues in recent years.
In October 2023, the British businessman pleaded guilty to fraud after failing to declare overseas assets valued at more than 400 million pounds, receiving a 17-month suspended prison sentence after agreeing to a comprehensive civil settlement with financial authorities.
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