At Vienna-Schwechat airport, the customs officers managed to find something unusual: a 52-year-old man tried to smuggle watches worth 155.000 euros. The British citizen came from Geneva and only had hand luggage with him.

The officials nevertheless took a look in the traveler's pocket and found what they were looking for: five wristwatches and six pocket watches with a total value of 155.000 euros were seized. The incident occurred on May 24, 2021, but was only communicated on Monday for tactical reasons.

According to the customs investigation, the watches come from auctions in New York, Dubai, Hong Kong and Geneva. The customs officers confiscated the smuggled goods and initiated financial criminal proceedings against the British with a penalty of 62.000 euros. In addition, the watches expire, become state property and are subsequently sold.

“I congratulate the attentive customs officers who regularly deploy smugglers at Vienna Airport on Grünkanal with a trained and experienced eye. With their professional work, our civil servants not only ensure compliance with our laws, but also protect all decent entrepreneurs, ”said Finance Minister Gernot Blümel (ÖVP).