I was mistaken for a cigarette smuggler on holiday - and questioned by armed police for three hours at airport

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Watch British tourist James Colley and his wife Louise discuss their ‘holiday from hell’ after he was mistaken for a convicted cigarette smuggler with a similar name and quizzed for four hours by armed police on his arrival at the airport.

A British tourist has told of his nightmare holiday after he was arrested in Tunisia when police mistook him for a convicted cigarette smuggler.

James Colley, 57, known as Jim, went on holiday to the North African nation with wife Louise Colley, 51, on August 2 to celebrate his retirement. However, the dad-of-three was questioned by armed police for four hours on his arrival at Enfidha-Hammamet International Airport and then told to report to a court in the capital, Tunis.

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The couple, from Newcastle, spent the rest of their holiday fighting the charges. They had to fork out a further £800 on three eight-hour round trips to Tunis and lawyers fees.

James and Louise Colley with their driver in Tunisia.James and Louise Colley with their driver in Tunisia.
James and Louise Colley with their driver in Tunisia. | James Colley / SWNS

When Jim finally went before a judge on the last day of their 'holiday', the case was dropped against him in seconds, because the charges were "too old".

Jim later learnt that police were actually looking for a man called James Coyle - convicted in his absence of smuggling cigarettes into the country in 2012.

Jim said: "I’m quite a calm person, but honestly, you don’t argue with someone with a gun. It was absolutely terrifying.”

The Tunisian Embassy in London has been contacted for comment.

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