I've never been stopped at Customs on my way in but then I've never considered even attempting what you seem to be planning to do and one has to ask - Why?

Like most return visitors I've always tried to make sure that I run my supply of dinars right down at the end of a holiday because you get such a poor exchange rate when swapping them back into £s Sterling. And, yes, like most return visitors I do try and keep hold of a few coins and small denomination notes for next time because it is handy to have a little local currency when you first arrive for tipping a porter etc. It wouldn't bother me if they were confiscated on either the way out of or into Tunisia but I doubt that I've ever had much more than £10/15 worth of dinar at the most on me.

But you seem to be planning to try and take in far more than that and before doing so I think you need to think seriously whether there is anything about you that would flag you up as someone the Tunisian Customs and Immigration people would take an interest in. And that includes asking yourself whether UK security staff would raise questions about why you were taking so much currency out with you. Don't forget they will be screening your luggage, both hold and hand, before you leave the UK and they are not just concerned with potential terrorists. Anyone moving large amounts of any currency through a UK airport will attract the attention of security staff from a money laundering perspective. So I would think twice about taking more currency than a UK tourist could be reasonably expected to spend on a holiday trip to Tunisia. I suspect that your major worry should be whether UK security staff flag you up to the Tunisians as a potential money launderer, drug dealer or financier of terrorist activity before you even leave the UK. And that assumes that they don't themselves pull you up and ask you to explain how you come to have so much of what is generally known to be a closed currency and only available in limited circumstances in this country. Your trip could be over before it begins if they decide they don't like your explanation.

SM

First of all let me emphasize that we're talking of about £150, not suitcases with millions! Maybe some people get that impression when I say large amount. It's all relative I guess. In Tunisia, £150 is a fairly large amount. I collect coins and banknotes from all over the world buying mostly in bootsales. This has taken me years to accumulate (90 dinars in notes and juat over 250 dinars in coins. What I'm repatriating in coins and notes is of little value to collectors. Hardly an amount anybody would find questionable. You can buy TUD's legally in UK airports when you fly there. The only problem I can see would be the weight of the coins taking them as hand baggage. Anyway back to my original question. Has anybody had problems taking Tunisian money in or out of the country? Thankxx.

Never had a problem though I've heard of people who have. The most I've ever taken in and out is about TDN 100, which I brought back from one trip in readiness for a cruise a few months later which was calling in at Tunis. The notes shouldn't pose a problem though the coins might, as they will be heavy and if someone officious decides to investigate they may go through everything with a fine tooth comb.

Hi travellingbum,

Just to let you know we got stopped on my way into Tunisia some years ago, by their customs. As it happens we nipped into the duty free shop, which was situated by the customs, in Monastir airport. When they stopped us they asked whether we'd got anything to declare? I said to them you've just seen us in the shop so of course we have some alcoholic drinks! They didn't really search our luggage very thoroughly but congratulated us on buying a bottle of Tunisian wine!! I think we found out later why they did this cause the wine was awful.

Moral to this story - don't do anything obviously daft 'like going into the duty free shop' and you are unlikely to get stopped,

Trev

You can actually spend dinars at the cafe in the Departure Lounge at Monastir. A couple of weeks ago I bought a coffee there and asked if they wanted sterling or dinars and they said either would be OK. I'd just changed 20 dinars into sterling for a lady I met outside when we were both having a ciggie. She had been about to get it changed in the Bureau de Change but she got the full rate from me.

Thanks for the replies guys. It sounds like I should give Tunisian wine a miss. Talking of customs in Tunisia; is it worth bringing in a litre a duty free booze and 200 fags to sell there? Cheers.

Simple answer - No! Cigarettes in Tunisia are cheaper than anything you'll buy in Duty Free on your way out and people in Tunisia are now wise to how little you'll have apid for a bottle of blended whisky in Duty Free. I often take some half bottles with me to give away as gifts or as tips but whilst you'll find that there might well be buyers for a decent bottle of Scotch, don't expect to make a killing on it.

Re your original query, I'm still intrigued as to why you'd bother building up this collection, the coins especially? If it's taken you some years to accumulate this stash, are you sure that it's all actually still going to be accepted as legal tender? And did you build up this collection because you always planned some day to go to Tunisia? Or have you now decided to go to Tunisia because you've finally got enough for your spending money?

SM

I'm actually buying coins and banknotes for the main reason of cashing them in to make a profit. My main objective is buying some of the European legacy currencies. These are the old currencies like the Spanish peseta, Deutsche mark, French francs and many others. The expired coins are still redeemable in some of the European central banks but not all. The banknotes you can redeem until 2012 in all the countries in Europe that gone over to using to euro. I get many varios currencies from all over the world including TND's. The coins and notes in good condition I'm keeping for my collection, but the vast majority is solely purchased for redemption. Now I haven't been to Tunisia since 2003, so it's time to offload my TND 'holdings'. I got nine ten dinar notes that all expire on the 31/12/08 so going to Tunisia is a good excuse for me. As a boon, some nice weather would be great. I'm not allowed to send you a link but google central bank of Tunisia and you can find all the info about redemption periods etc. After visiting Tunisia my next trips will go to Malta and Cyprus, though not this year. They've just joined the euro zone and their redemption period for coins is only two years. Banknotes as a golden rule is at least ten years from when a country joins the euro.
Most countries doesn't prohibit the importation of local money but the official policy in Tunisia is that you cannot import them. Well that too bad, but I'm not going to lose out because of that. If I get pulled over and searched and they find the 300+ dinars I can hardly imagine they would arrest me. They probably very likely confiscate them, but I'll make damn sure they give me a receipt to ensure the money doesn't end up in the pockets of the official(s)!
By the look of it, I can't be bothered bring a carton of fags but might still get a litre bottle of Scotch.
Where is it cheaper to buy a bottle? In Gatwick or Monastir duty free airport when I arrive there?
Not many countries it seems, where you can buy duty free on ARRIVAL. Turkey is another country where that's possible. I hope I satisfied your curiousity SMa.
Kind regards, TB.

OK, I can speak on this subject with some authority!

Last year my (ahem) "friend" bought 1000 single dinar coins very cheaply on ebay. They weighed an absolute ton! He very carefully wrapped them in paper in 50 dinar "tubes" and stuck 10 tubes in the bottom of each of his and his wife's suitcases.

On arrival at Monastir Airport only one of the cases arrived on the conveyor belt. The weight in the bottom of the case meant that the case arrived bolt upright on the conveyor! My "friend" suggested that his wife took that case and waited in the arrivals for him. After some 45 minutes all of the people had got their cases and left, all except my "friend".

He approached customs to ask where his case was and he was told it was coming soon. After another 15 minutes the case appeared on the conveyor. Bolt uptright! Two uniformed policemen casually followed the case at a discreet distance. My "friend" removed the case and headed for the door with a cheery demeanor, right up to the point when customs asked if they could have a word.

They asked if he had a key to open the suitcase, to which he replied that the case wasn't locked. They asked "him" to open the case and to "his" horror some of the carefully wrapped tubes had split open and there was loose dinars everywhere! "What are these?" the official asked.

At this point my "friend" explained that these dinars were being brought home (at his expense) so that they could find their rightful place in the Tunisian economy. It would be fair to say that the official was less than pleased! He explained that they x-ray all cases on arrival and that this one had shown up as suspicious. After a few stern words about how illegal it is to repatriate dinars my "friend" was sent on his way. When he got to the hotel he counted all the dinars to see how many they had taken and (unbelievably) every single one was still there!

Would I recommend that anyone else tries this? Absolutely not. My friend aged 10 years at that airport........

Thanks for the tip TP. I will tell them that if any problems should arise:
"Sir; these coins belongs in the Tunisian economy and now they've came home to roost!"
Let's just hope that excuse will be accepted.
I was wondering if you're more likely to be pulled over in Tunis airport customs than in Monastir?
I haven't booked my ticket yet so I can still choose between the two airports. I would imagine you're more likely to walk through customs unchallenged arriving on a northern European charter flight in Monastir than arriving on a scheduled airline in the less touristy (I think) airport like Tunis. In any case I intend to take the coins in my hand luggage so maybe I'll be all right.
Coins it itself are not prohibited to take through security in the European airports I've travelled through.
I buy coins and notes and frequently travel to various Euro zone countries to redeem them. I've taken up towards 20 kilos of them in my hand baggage. Compared to what your 'friend' brought, I only have about three kilos of coins (340 dinars) so no back breaking trip this time.That the good thing about travelling on Easyjet; no weight restrictions. I reckon the only country that prohibits the import of local currency is Tunisia, all other countries no problem. Time to save the local economy!!

HI,You take the cash YOU take your chance,they either find it or you keep it,the amount you are talking about is in a security officers wages a few months pay, brithish customs told me 70 pounds gb was a lot of money. Is it worth being flagged as law breaker for 150 quid maxie

Hi,

I have always used Tunis airport, and while it is no doubt less touristy than Monastir, there are still a large number of tourists passing through here. I usually have some dinars on me going both in and out of the country and have never had any problems. I was once asked if I had any money and (on this occasion I had very little), when I said no was waved on my way without further questioning or searching. I wouldn't recommend this though with the amount you're taking. 10 or so dinar could have reasonably been 'forgotten' about but not £150 worth. I had more problems on my first visit over my occupation (I work in banking) which you have to fill out on the landing card. I was asked at some length to explain my job, which may give some indication as to how seriously they can take matters re money and finance. The most amount of money I have taken out and back into the country was about 70 dinar, again no problems but I could just have been lucky and wouldn't, with a clear conscience recommend it to anyone else, just in case.

As for Tunisian wine, while some of it is indeed grim, there are some nice ones. I'm a big champion of the Vieux Magon, if you like a full red

A.

I reckon the only country that prohibits the import of local currency is Tunisia, all other countries no problem.

Incorrect - most countries that have a 'closed' currency, ie one were the exchange rate is set by the Government rather than determined by the international money markets, prohibit the import and export of their currency. The most recent examples I've come across in my own travels are The Gambia and Cuba, but it also applied to China when I went there in 1981. Whilst most are unlikely to prosecute a tourist for bringing in or taking out small amounts - doing so always runs the risk that at best it will be confiscated, at worst that you'll be arrested and charged.

And of course it's worth bearing in mind that most countries which have a 'closed' currency are also the ones that have prisons with the worst conditions! In the end it's up to you whether you decide to take the risk or not but I personally wouldn't and it seems that most people who've replied wouldn't either. I certainly wouldn't take the risk on the basis that

I can hardly imagine they would arrest me

You are planning to break the law - they would be entitled to arrest you - and it's worth bearing in mind that the attitude of the F&CO is likely to be that whilst they'll do what they can for your welfare and probably will put you in touch with a local lawyer, they won't defend what you've done and that tourists who break local laws just have to wait for due process to take place. I'm with Maxie on this one - my reputation and desire to be able to get into the USA in the future is worth far more than £150.

SM

As things have worked out, I'm not going to Tunisia after all. I couldn't find a cheap last minute flight to Tunis or Monastir. I'm a bit opportunistic I'm afraid when it comes to land a cheap flight deal. No pun intended. I still don't believe they would arrest me for bringing 3 kilos of coins though. I've never heard of any such case on any forum or on the internet in general. Correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for your concern though. Nice to know somebody cares.
The Tunisian coins in my possession are not likely to expire in the near future so I'll bring them on a later trip.
I have 90 TND in 10 dinar notes. Next time I depart the UK, I'll ask if Travelex or TTT exchange bureaux in LHR, LGW,STN,LTN or LCY will accept them. Their general policy is, they'll accept banknotes as long as they're still redeemable. Albeit at a probable cr*p rate, it's better than getting nothing for them at all. The 7 of the older ones are only redeemable until 31/12/2008. Happy Easter to all of you.

PS: I take a note of your 'Vieux Magon' red wine, sunstruck.

I've never heard of any such case on any forum or on the internet in general.

There's always the chance of a first time - I'd hate to be the one who set the precedent!

SM

Sure, so would I; fair enough point SMa. Better safe than sorry. But as I have a relative clear conscience, I will not hesitate taking the coins into the country on my next visit. Mind you, should I get pulled over entering Tunisia in a future trip, I will deal with it in a civilized manner. Losing your head dealing with any officials or other people is stupid, and can only be counter-productive. And that goes for any place in the world including Tunisia I'm sure. Thinking positive and treat other with respect can only be a winner.