BERNIE Ecclestone was quizzed at an airfield over a gun he claimed he had for clay pigeon shooting.
The former F1 chief, 95, said there was “wall-to-wall aggravation” at the aerodrome in the resort of Cascais, Portugal.
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He had flown in on his private jet from Switzerland with wife Fabiana Flosi, 49, when a routine search of his case uncovered his shotgun.
The billionaire tycoon, now at his £35million home in Cascais, said: “I had a gun I was bringing over from Switzerland to Portugal for clay pigeon shooting.
“It’s as simple as that.
“I have guns at home there that are licensed. We cleared customs on arriving here — I know the guys there — and they were fine with everything. No problems.
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“Then a policeman afterwards asked to search the bag.”
When the weapon was found, he was asked if he had the correct papers but told them: “I never travel with documents like that.”
He went on: “They said they’d arrest me but, after what seemed like hours, we sorted it out. But it has been wall-to-wall aggravation.”
Being caught with the weapon could mean jail.
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But a possible fine of up to £5,151 is more likely for the magnate, who is worth about £2billion.
He is now at his Cascais palace — believed to be Portugal’s most expensive private home — while his wife tries to resolve the issue.
He said: “Fabi has gone to Lisbon to surrender the gun, or pay the tax or whatever you need to bring it in, or to hand it over in the end.
“I said I would go, too, but I didn’t as it happened, and I am sitting at home waiting.”
A Portuguese source told The Sun: “It’s looking like an error which will end up with a fine, which obviously won’t bother Bernie Ecclestone.
“He kept his cool when the shotgun was found and there was no kind of altercation — but it’s still a potentially serious matter.”
In 2022, he was stopped in Brazil for possession of an LW Seecamp .32 handgun as he boarded a private jet.
He later said he bought it as a deterrent against muggers.
In 2023, he avoided a prison sentence for tax fraud after agreeing to pay £652.6million to HM Revenue and Customs.
Portuguese police last night denied reports they arrested Ecclestone.
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A spokesman said: “Our border control officers haven’t made the arrest that’s being attributed.”
Portuguese customs and Ecclestone’s legal reps were approached for comment.