Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, 95, has reportedly been arrested in Portugal for illegal possession of a firearm. According to reports published on Monday, Ecclestone was stopped at Tires airport, near Lisbon, after arriving on his private jet. Portuguese authorities are believed to have found a hunting rifle, and the arrest was reportedly made during a police operation.

The news has been reported by several media outlets, but so far there has been no official confirmation from the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP) about the detention or charges against the 95-year-old. This would not be the first time Ecclestone has faced authorities for possession of a weapon. In May 2022, he was detained in Brazil after an unregistered LW Seecamp .32 pistol was found in his luggage as he prepared to travel by private jet to Switzerland. He admitted that the gun was his, but stated that he did not know it was in his luggage. After paying bail, he was released and continued his journey.

At the time, Ecclestone denied that he had been formally arrested and dismissed the incident as a minor incident. He explained that he had bought the gun years earlier in Brazil from a Formula 1 mechanic or tire worker and that he carried it as a precaution. According to his account, the gun was empty and ended up in his luggage after being left in a pocket while his suitcases were being packed for the trip. Ecclestone, one of the most powerful figures in Formula 1 history, ran the commercial aspects of the championship for decades and stepped down from the role following the purchase of Formula 1 by Liberty Media in 2017.

If confirmed by Portuguese authorities, the detention in Tires would be the second time in four years that the 95-year-old has faced such an incident at an airport. For now, the full circumstances of the incident and Ecclestone's legal status in Portugal remain to be clarified.