NASCAR star Kyle Busch says he was detained by authorities in Mexico last month ... after he says they found a handgun in his bag at an airport.
Busch said it all happened following the conclusion of his vacation with his wife, Samantha, in late January.
According to the 37-year-old driver, he was going through airport security screening ... when he realized he accidentally brought his firearm in his luggage.
Busch claims he has a valid concealed carry permit for it -- but its discovery still alarmed authorities, who detained him over it all.
"I was not aware of Mexican law and had no intention of bringing a handgun into Mexico," he said in a statement on his social media page Monday.
"When it was discovered, I fully cooperated with the authorities, accepted the penalties, and returned to North Carolina."
Prosecutors in Quintana Roo appeared to address the incident in a statement released over the weekend. Officials said the defendant, ID'ed only as "Kyle Thomas 'B'" from the state of Nevada, was detained following the discovery of a firearm on Jan. 27. They noted that following an investigation, he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison as well as a fine.
This sequence from Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. 🤤#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/mTCrLx2Y29
— Motorstar 💫 (@MotorstarTV) February 5, 2023
Busch made no mention of a prison sentence in his statement Monday.
"I apologize for my mistake and appreciate the respect shown by all parties as we resolved the matter," Busch said. "My family and I consider this issue closed."
Busch raced in the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum in Los Angeles on Sunday ... finishing in third place.