Former Formula 1 powerbroker Bernie Ecclestone is reportedly facing another legal issue with the authorities after being arrested in Portugal for allegedly possessing a hunting firearm illegally, according to media reports.

The 95-year-old British businessman was reportedly detained at Tires Airport in Cascais, near Lisbon, after authorities discovered the weapon when he arrived by private jet. According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, the arrest took place during a routine inspection. So far, however, the Airport Division of Portugal’s Public Security Police (PSP) has not issued an official statement regarding the case.

It is also not yet known whether Ecclestone will be charged or brought before a judge. If the new arrest is confirmed, it would be the second similar case involving the former Formula 1 chief in roughly four years.

Arrested in Brazil in 2022

In 2022, Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil after a firearm was found in his luggage as he was preparing to board a private aircraft bound for Switzerland. He admitted that he had been carrying the weapon but maintained that he did not know it was in his luggage.

After posting bail, he was released and allowed to travel to Switzerland.

Ecclestone later described the incident as “a silly and insignificant matter,” saying it had caused him considerable inconvenience as he attempted to return to Europe with his family.

He also denied that he had been formally arrested, despite Brazilian authorities confirming at the time that a businessman had been detained for possessing a firearm at Campinas Airport, without disclosing his identity.

Ecclestone later revealed that the weapon was an LW Seecamp .32, which he said he had purchased years earlier in Brazil from a Formula 1 mechanic. According to Ecclestone, the gun was not accompanied by ammunition and had been acquired for deterrence purposes.

“I was told you need something like that,” he said, explaining that it could be useful if someone attempted to rob him. He added that he kept it at his home and joked about it when people came to visit.

The former Formula 1 chief executive divides his time between Switzerland and Portugal, where he owns homes, and also has property in Brazil. Ecclestone played a pivotal role in the commercial development of Formula 1 over the years and was one of the most influential figures in motorsport for decades.

He also helped bring the Portuguese Grand Prix back to the Formula 1 calendar in 1984.