Ecclestone arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying gun

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Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil on Wednesday for carrying an undocumented firearm.

Ecclestone landed himself in hot water with the local authorities at Viracopos airport in Campina ahead of boarding a private flight to Switzerland.

A routine X-ray screening revealed in the 91-year-old's luggage a LW Seecamp .32 gun for which the Briton was unable to produce a legal permit.

Ecclestone was subsequently arrested and taken to a facility at the airport where he was interrogated.

According to a police report, he acknowledged owning the gun, which did not contain any bullets, but said that he was unaware that the firearm was present in his luggage.

Ecclestone was eventually released on bail, after which he traveled to Switzerland as scheduled.

Ecclestone, who owns a farm in Brazil, was in the country accompanying his wife Fabiana, an FIA-vice president for sport and a member of the World Motor Sport Council.

The couple recently attended a round of the TCR South America series in Interlagos.

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