No bunny business! 3 Playboy models arrested in Mexico for working illegally

Three Playboy models were detained in Mexico for allegedly working while holding tourist-only visas. The women were arrested on Thursday after immigration raided a Playboy party in Merida.

The three were in the country for a Playboy Music Fest event.

Marie Brethenoux from France, Elif Celik from Turkey, and Lauryn Elaine from the US say they weren’t working at the event and were not paid to attend.

“We came to Mexico to celebrate each other’s company and to gain publicity with our fans by coming to these parties in Meridá and Cancun,” Elaine explained.

The three girls were sitting at a VIP table drinking champagne at the Playboy Music Fest when immigration and federal police arrived at the party. Three others were arrested at the event, Mexico News Daily reports – two women and a man, variously from Argentina and Colombia, according to the Yucatan Times.

“Around midnight, immigration came and busted into our party when all of us girls were sitting at our VIP tables enjoying champagne and music,” Elaine said. “They then rounded us up into a large room and weeded us all out by checking everyone’s IDs.”

The women were taken to a holding cell and held for close to 24 hours. They said they had to “beg for food and water.”

Playboy Mexico called the detention an “abuse of authority” and “corruption,” and worked to get the models out of detention. It shared a photograph of the three detainees on the Playboy Mexico Instagram account.

“They are not bunnies they are WARRIORS and we love them. Thanks to all for your support,” it said.

The trio was released, but they have to remain in the country until their passports are returned. The Yancun Times reported the women were given 20 days to leave the country.

The incident doesn’t appear to have stopped the Playboy models from celebrating their freedom. The three appeared to be heading out on Sunday night and posed with their hands out as if wearing handcuffs.

“Even after detention in Merida nothing can stop us!” Brethenoux wrote on Instagram.

Elaine and Brethenoux also shared images taken at the beach in Yucatan on Sunday.