Police have detained four teenage girls who allegedly coerced their peers into prostitution in central China's Henan Province.

The detained girls, aged 16 and 17, surnamed Bian, Yang, Qin and Hou, were among six people detained after police broke up a teenage prostitution ring, said a statement from Weishi County police.

The suspected procurer of the teenage girls, Zhang Junli, had turned himself in, said the statement.

The suspects had allegedly forced students of Weishi Experimental Middle School and Weishi No.2 Middle School into prostitution in the Shuiyifang Bathhouse, Yuexin Hotel and Yunlong Hotel since March, and threatened to spread nude photos of the victims if they refused.

The victims were girls aged 15 to 17, the statement said.

Huang Qunzhou, 42, a local businessman was also detained for patronizing underage prostitutes.

Shuiyifang Bathhouse and Yuexin Hotel had been closed down in the investigation.

The police are searching for four other suspects, it said.