Authorities in Dagestan have arrested Magomed-Sultan Magomedov, the region's state secretary and founder of the Anji football club, according to reports from TASS and RIA Novosti citing law enforcement sources.
A Kommersant source indicated that the official was taken into custody along with "all his relatives and associates."
Prior to the arrests, Magomedov's residence was searched. Local outlets Chernovik and RBC reported that law enforcement conducted simultaneous operations at 50 locations linked to Magomedov and his family. RIA Novosti's source added that investigators also searched the state secretary's office in the republic's administrative building.
The raids are reportedly tied to an investigation into the unlawful privatization of Dagnefteprodukt LLC, as stated by Kommersant, Baza, and Shot. The company was privatized in 2005 while Magomedov served as its head.
Currently, Dagnefteprodukt operates under SMB-Holding, led by Magomed Magomedov, the detained official's son. Other family members are also listed among the company's founders. Kommersant notes that authorities intend to return the firm to state control.
Dagnefteprodukt maintains close ties with the Makhachkala port, which was privatized in 2024 and acquired by entities linked to Suleiman Kerimov. The company's oil storage facilities border the port, a key hub for Caspian Sea oil trade involving Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Iran. Dagnefteprodukt handles crude oil transfers between these nations and Russia via the port, forming part of the vital North-South transport corridor—one of the few Western-independent trade routes remaining operational.