Security services in the Russian Republic of Dagestan have apprehended a gang that siphoned 110 tons of crude oil from wells in the Nogai region of the republic and attempted to sell it to local oil refineries.
The investigation revealed that since 2025, members of the gang had extracted at least 110 tons of oil from wells in the Nogai region and sold it to refineries.
The gang also tried to secure protection for their illegal activities by contacting a police officer and offering him a bribe of $2,500 in exchange for allowing fuel trucks to pass unhindered to the sales locations. However, the officer informed his superiors and four members of the gang were arrested.
Media reports recently indicated that Russian authorities have carried out their first arrests of those involved in the illegal sale of fuel.
