British tourist mistaken for smuggler holiday nightmare in Tunisia

A British tourist’s holiday turned into a nightmare after being mistaken for a convicted cigarette smuggler with a similar name.

James Colley and his wife, Louise, planned a package holiday to Tunisia to celebrate retirement. However, their peaceful retreat quickly soured when armed police questioned James upon arrival at Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport and escorted him to a court in Tunis.

The 57-year-old father of three, known as Jim, discovered that the police had confused him with James Coyle, who had been convicted of smuggling cigarettes into Tunisia in 2012.

The couple from Newcastle spent their £1,400 holiday fighting the charges and had to pay an additional £800 for three eight-hour round trips to Tunis, lawyer fees, and bribes to local officials.

Jim appeared before a judge on the final day of their ‘holiday’. The judge dismissed the case within seconds, citing the charges as ‘too old’.

Jim reflected on the ordeal, expressing uncertainty about whether it was a scam involving police or passport officials. He described the experience as mentally draining and terrifying, especially facing armed officers.

Louise, a community staff nurse, advised other British tourists against travelling to Tunisia, citing safety concerns. She highlighted the fear of not knowing if Jim would be imprisoned and described the experience as completely terrifying and indicative of local corruption.

The holiday was meant to be a celebration of Jim’s retirement from a Nissan car plant. They had booked a £1,400 five-star hotel in Mahdia but never enjoyed the facilities. Instead, Jim was detained and questioned at the airport for hours.

Jim recounted how authorities repeatedly took his passport and asked if he had been to Tunisia before and where he worked. Despite his truthful answers, they did not believe him. An interpreter eventually informed him he would need to appear in court.

At the court, Jim was handed a document naming him as ‘James Coyle’. The couple managed to hire an English-speaking lawyer for £130 after being quoted £530 initially.

In court, Jim feared heavy fines or imprisonment, but the judge dismissed the case within 30 seconds. His legal team explained that the case, concerning cigarette smuggling in 2012, was dismissed because it was over five years old, not due to mistaken identity.

The Tunisian Embassy in London has been contacted for comment.