Billionaire art collector is fined £44million and sentenced to 18 months in prison for trying to smuggle a Picasso out of Spain

Daily Mail ^ | 16 January 2020 | Ross Ibbetson

[a fool in paradise]

If the state now owns it, he was fined the millions the painting itself cost as well.

I could see the Un pulling the game some day they way they do with UNESCO sites.

[BobL]

Looks like a pretty crappy painting to me. Why the fuss?

[mairdie]

The only Picassos I really enjoyed were from his pink or blue periods. Though this one is much better than most, to me. Otherwise, forced to agree with you.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Ironically, if he had just bought a truck, and driven it out of Spain, through France and into Switzerland he would not have been caught.

Due to the Schengen Agreement, there are no customs or border controls between Spain and France anymore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Agreement

He got caught because he moved it by a yacht and that triggered the port inspection that caught him.

The Spanish French highway border:

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4645596,2.865582,3a,15y,349.8h,87.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shq66MZK2vorXAQE0C77wSg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3669686,2.4562585,3a,75y,290.72h,76.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sW_tHPyT6POQX7kMhQPqZ-A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4447544,1.9426673,3a,27.4y,64.56h,85t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0tFK6AEvEHLHpdK9KKhXuQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[mairdie]

>>Ironically, if he had just bought a truck, and driven it out of Spain, through France and into Switzerland he would not have been caught.

Bet he’s thinking of that with each zero he writes on the fine check.

[kearnyirish2]

Spain should just take the painting and pay the current owner if it is such a national treasure; I understand their interest in it as well.