Stallone dismisses Customs delay
Saturday Feb 17 22:01 AEDT
Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone has dismissed as a "misunderstanding" the confiscation of several banned items by Customs officials at Sydney Airport.
Stallone's whistlestop trip to Australia got off to a rocky start late on Friday when he and his entourage of about five were quizzed at the airport about some suspicious items found in their luggage.
The actor flew into Sydney from the United States about 11pm (AEDT) for the premiere of Rocky Balboa - the sixth and final film in the hit Rocky series.
But Australian Customs Service officers delayed the star and his entourage from leaving the airport for about two hours after routine x-rays of their luggage revealed several prohibited items.
As he strutted the red carpet at the harbourside premiere on Saturday, Stallone laughed when quizzed about the incident.
"That was just a misunderstanding," he said.
"Customs is doing a great job."
Customs would not confirm the nature of the items, but it is believed banned body building drugs could be among them.
A Customs spokesman said Stallone and his party were questioned about the items, which are being held for further examination this weekend.
"His party was subjected to normal Customs and quarantine processing," the spokesman said.
"During an x-ray of the group's baggage several prohibited items were located.
"We are holding the items and our investigations are continuing into those items."
Stallone attended the sold-out Australian launch of Rocky Balboa at OpenAir Cinema at Sydney's Mrs Macquarie's Point.
The 1,200 tickets to the premiere of Rocky Balboa sold out in a record 27 minutes earlier this month.
Stallone wrote all the scripts and directed five of the six Rocky films including the latest one.
The first Rocky film was made over 30 years ago in 1976, and the long-awaited Rocky Balboa is the first Rocky film made since Rocky V in 1990.
The sixth instalment of the series follows a washed-up has-been Balboa running a restaurant and reliving old glories 30 years after his prime.
He gets a second chance to prove himself in the ring by taking on the reigning heavyweight champion almost half his age.
Rocky Balboa opens nationally on February 22.
Sly actually directed 4 of the 6 rocky movies. The same guy who directed I also directed V...
