Former Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone has been involved in a run-in with Portuguese police, describing it as “wall-to-wall aggravation” after being stopped at a private airstrip near Lisbon for allegedly carrying an unlicensed shotgun.
Ecclestone was allegedly detained at the Tires airstrip in Cascais, close to Lisbon, after landing by private jet from Saanen in Switzerland, where he owns a £23 million ski chalet. He reportedly brought the shotgun with him for clay-pigeon shooting.
The 95-year-old acknowledged that he had been travelling without proper firearm documentation and was detained for several hours. His wife, Fabiana Flosi, 49, later went to Lisbon to attempt to sort out the issue.
“I had a gun that I was bringing over from Switzerland to Portugal for clay-pigeon shooting,” Ecclestone told the Daily Mail. “It’s as simple as that. I have guns at home there that are licensed.”
Ecclestone explained that the problem occurred only after customs initially cleared it without issues.
“We cleared customs on arriving here,” he said. “I know the guys there, and they were fine with everything. No problems.”
“Then a policeman afterwards asked to search the bag. It could have been [his six-year-old son] Ace’s fishing tackle for all it looked like, but it wasn’t.”
When officers asked about a ‘blue book’ — the document needed to legally transport the firearm — Ecclestone admitted he had the necessary paperwork.
“They said they would arrest me, but after what seemed like hours, we sorted it out, but it has been wall-to-wall aggravation,” he said.
“But it seems it can be put right. Fabi has gone to Lisbon to surrender the gun, or pay the tax or whatever you need to bring it in.”
Ecclestone has previously faced similar situations. In May 2022, he was detained at a Brazilian airport for illegally carrying a firearm on a private flight. He referred to that incident as a “silly, tiny little incident” and was released after posting bail.
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