Four billionaire brothers with links to ousted Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika have been detained by police, state TV reports.
They are being held over a corruption investigation, it adds.
A fifth top industrialist, Issad Rebrab, on Twitter denied reports he had also been arrested, saying he went to the police on a business matter.
Mr Bouteflika, who had been in power for 20 years, resigned three weeks ago following anti-government protests.
Fresh elections are expected in July.
Their detention comes after the head of the army, Lt Gen Gaïd Salah said last week that some among the ruling elite could be questioned over alleged corruption, Reuters news agency reports.
Protesters who had been demanding the resignation of Mr Bouteflika, had also been calling for the downfall of "Le Pouvoir", or the establishment, meaning that all those around the former president should also go.
