Two Playboy magazine models from Eastern Europe have been arrested in Athens on prostitution charges, police said yesterday.

The two women, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were arrested on Sunday in a central Athens hotel by an undercover police officer who paid them 1,000 euros in marked bills, a police statement said.

One of the women had won a Playmate 2008 competition while her companion was runner-up, the police said without giving further details.

Aged 23 and 25, the women are believed to have been involved in an international racket which charged between 250 and 2,000 euros from customers ”wishing to come into carnal contact with well-known models,” the police said.

The racket is believed to be based in Prague and to have a turnover of several million euros. (AFP)