LILY ALLEN - ALLEN AND DEYN WERE 'TERRIFIED' BY DUBAI STRIP-SEARCH

ALLEN AND DEYN WERE 'TERRIFIED' BY DUBAI STRIP-SEARCH

LILY ALLEN and supermodel AGYNESS DEYN have branded their Dubai airport experience "terrifying" and "traumatic" after they were strip-searched upon landing in the United Arab Emirates.
The duo was among a number of celebrities subjected to the security treatment after arriving in Dubai to attend the grand opening of the Atlantis Palms Hotel on the man-made Palm Jumeirah Island on Thursday (20Nov08).
Deyn's boyfriend, The Strokes star Albert Hammond, Jr., was also forced to shed his clothes for the invasive procedure, in a country that has a strict anti-drugs policy.
Smile singer Allen says, "I was strip searched, which was so nice as soon as you arrive. I knew I didn't have anything on me so I wasn't worried. I wasn't paranoid, just terrified.
"It was at the airport and took more than an hour. It was really scary as they didn't tell you what they were doing, they just said, 'Take off trousers' and I was like, 'Ahhh, help!'"
Catwalk star Deyn adds, "Both Albert and I were strip-searched. It was really traumatic. It wasn't the best experience in the world but it is their culture and you just have to respect it."
Organisers of the hotel launch issued all guests with strict warnings about the dangers of bringing drugs into the country prior to the event, which was also attended by Hollywood stars Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron and Lindsay Lohan.