Bernie Ecclestone, former Formula 1 boss, was detained by the Portuguese police at the airfield in Tires, Portugal. The 95-year-old British businessman was on board his private jet when authorities were carrying out a routine operation after the aircraft landed.
During the inspection of the private plane, police found a shotgun, a firearm that was neither declared nor authorized for entry into Portuguese territory. The operation took place at the airfield located near Lisbon.
Ecclestone was subsequently heard in court, being placed on conditional release. The Portuguese Public Prosecutor's Office requested heavier precautionary measures, but the court decided only to impose a bail and the mandatory surrender of the weapon.
This incident occurred at a time when Ecclestone was in Portugal, a country where he has resided for several years. The former top executive of Formula 1, who led the competition for decades, thus found himself involved in legal proceedings related to illegal weapons possession.
