Police smash prostitution network in Cannes

French police say they have broken up a high-class prostitution ring operating in the yachts and luxury hotel rooms of Cannes.

Dozens of young women, including former models and beauty contestants, and their wealthy Middle Eastern clients were briefly held after a series of raids on flats and hotels on the waterfront.

Sixteen alleged ringleaders, including a 43-year-old, Italian-based Lebanese model agency boss, have been held in custody.

Among the hotels raided was the Carlton, one of the most select hotels in the world, used by movie stars and film executives during the film festival each May.

The raids were conducted by officers from the Paris-based Office Central pour la Répression de la Traite des Etrês Humains - literally the office for the repression of slavery. This is an arm of the Police Nationale which deals with elaborate and international prostitution rings.

Police sources said that they believed the Lebanese model agency boss has been operating a high class prostitution business on the Côte d'Azur since the early summer.

Meetings were arranged in luxury hotel rooms or aboard yachts moored offshore. A night spent with one or more young women could cost up to €30,000 (£20,000), a police source told the newspaper, Le Parisien.

Police said they had uncovered the ring through telephone taps. They believe that the Lebanese model agency boss, named only as Elias N, had approached "retired" models and beauty contestants from as far afield as Venezuela and the United States.