Overview
- Police stopped Ecclestone at Tires Aerodrome after his private jet landed from Switzerland, a check that led to discovery of a shotgun and several hours of questioning on Monday.
- Ecclestone told reporters he brought the shotgun for clay‑pigeon shooting but did not have the required temporary import 'blue book' paperwork when asked by officers.
- His wife, Fabiana Flosi, travelled to Lisbon to surrender the firearm and a customs official accompanied the handover while Ecclestone said he signed documents at the scene.
- The Portuguese Public Security Police said their border officers did not make the arrest that some outlets reported and directed inquiries to the Tax and Customs Authority, leaving which agency led the action unclear and no public criminal charges reported.
- The episode echoes a May 2022 incident in Brazil when Ecclestone was detained over an undocumented pistol, suggesting this is likely to be resolved as an administrative firearms and import paperwork matter rather than a prolonged criminal case.