Latest news with #EuropeanInvestigationOrder
The Herald
2 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Vast police search for Madeleine McCann evidence launched in Algarve
Portugal's investigative judicial police (PJ) said on Monday they would execute search warrants at the behest of the public prosecutor's office in Germany's Braunschweig, which in 2022 formally identified German national Christian Brueckner as an official suspect in the case. The search operation is expected to end on Thursday, said a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in the northern German city of Braunschweig. A source involved in the search said the targeted area was 'vast', with police using ground-penetrating radar across several hectares. Portuguese officers were following instructions from German police under a European investigation order. Reuters footage showed uniformed PJ officers in a cordon on a dirt road in Atalaia, a neighbourhood of Lagos municipality, waving through unmarked vans and cars with German licence plates from the city of Wiesbaden, where the federal criminal police office (BKA) has its headquarters. The BKA is assisting Portuguese law enforcement with 'criminal procedural measures', Braunschweig prosecutors told Reuters, declining to provide further details. The occupants of one of the German vehicles wore bucket hats, clothing with camouflage patterns and bandannas covering their faces. A van belonging to Portugal's maritime police also arrived. The force has jurisdiction over coastal areas and took part in previous searches of beaches, wells and reservoirs using specialist divers. The road the police cordoned off is located close to a golf course and less than 1km from the beach. The search area was close to a property Brueckner lived in, a neighbour told Reuters in 2020, though when was unclear. German police said in June 2020 Madeleine was presumed dead and Brueckner, in his 40s, was probably responsible. He has denied responsibility. Brueckner, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer, is behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve. His sentence runs until September, meaning he is set for release unless prosecutors find enough evidence to charge him over Madeleine's disappearance. In January, Sky News quoted the German prosecutor investigating Madeleine's disappearance as saying there was no prospect of charges being brought against Brueckner. Reuters
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
New search for McCann evidence
Portuguese and German police have launched joint searches of a "vast" area in Portugal's southern Algarve region for new evidence related to the 2007 disappearance of three-year-old British child Madeleine McCann. The scale of the searches could be the most extensive since the initial investigation was closed in 2008, a year after Madeleine went missing while on holiday with her family in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz. Her disappearance sparked a frenzied search and gained the attention of the world's media. She has never been found. Fresh though relatively focused searches were ordered by Portuguese, British and German police of scrubland, wells and reservoirs in 2014, 2020 and 2023. None of these searches were confirmed to have yielded significant evidence. Portugal's investigative Judicial Police (PJ) had said on Monday they would execute search warrants at the behest of the public prosecutor's office in Germany's Braunschweig, which in 2022 formally identified German national Christian Brueckner as an official suspect in the case. The search operation is expected to end on Thursday, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in the northern German city of Braunschweig said. A source involved in the search said the targeted area was "vast" with police using ground-penetrating radar across several hectares. Portuguese officers were following instructions from German police under a European Investigation Order. Reuters footage showed uniformed PJ officers in a cordon on a dirt road in Atalaia - a neighbourhood of Lagos municipality - waving through unmarked vans and cars with German license plates from the city of Wiesbaden, where the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has its headquarters. The BKA is assisting Portuguese law enforcement with "criminal procedural measures", Braunschweig prosecutors told Reuters, declining to provide further details. The occupants of one of the German vehicles wore bucket hats, clothing with camouflage patterns and bandanas covering their faces. A van belonging to Portugal's Maritime Police also arrived. That force has jurisdiction over coastal areas and took part in previous searches of beaches, wells and reservoirs using specialist divers. The road the police cordoned off is located close to a golf course and less than 1km from the beach. The search area was close to a property that Brueckner lived in, a neighbour told Reuters in 2020, though when was unclear. German police said in June 2020 that Madeleine was presumed dead and that Brueckner, in his 40s, was probably responsible. He has denied responsibility. Brueckner, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer, is behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve. His sentence runs until September, meaning he is set for release unless prosecutors find enough evidence to charge him over Madeleine's disappearance. In January, Sky News quoted the German prosecutor investigating Madeleine's disappearance as saying there was currently no prospect of charges being brought against Brueckner.
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Maverick
Vast police search for Madeleine McCann evidence launched in Algarve
Three-year-old British girl vanished while on family holiday in Portugal in 2007 Searches follow orders from Braunschweig prosecutor's office in Germany Christian Brueckner, jailed in Germany for rape, identified as suspect, denies involvement The scale of the searches could be the most extensive since the initial investigation was closed in 2008, a year after Madeleine went missing while on holiday with her family in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz. Her disappearance sparked a frenzied search and gained the attention of the world's media. She has never been found. Fresh though relatively focused searches were ordered by Portuguese, British and German police of scrubland, wells and reservoirs in 2014, 2020 and 2023. None of these searches were confirmed to have yielded significant evidence. Portugal's investigative Judicial Police (PJ) had said on Monday they would execute search warrants at the behest of the public prosecutor's office in Germany's Braunschweig, which in 2022 formally identified German national Christian Brueckner as an official suspect in the case. The search operation is expected to end on Thursday, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in the northern German city of Braunschweig said. A source involved in the search said the targeted area was 'vast' with police using ground-penetrating radar across several hectares. Portuguese officers were following instructions from German police under a European Investigation Order. Reuters footage showed uniformed PJ officers in a cordon on a dirt road in Atalaia – a neighbourhood of Lagos municipality – waving through unmarked vans and cars with German license plates from the city of Wiesbaden, where the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has its headquarters. The BKA is assisting Portuguese law enforcement with 'criminal procedural measures', Braunschweig prosecutors told Reuters, declining to provide further details. The occupants of one of the German vehicles wore bucket hats, clothing with camouflage patterns and bandanas covering their faces. A van belonging to Portugal's Maritime Police also arrived. That force has jurisdiction over coastal areas and took part in previous searches of beaches, wells and reservoirs using specialist divers. The road the police cordoned off is located close to a golf course and less than 1 km (0.6 miles) from the beach. The search area was close to a property that Brueckner lived in, a neighbour told Reuters in 2020, though when was unclear. German police said in June 2020 that Madeleine was presumed dead and that Brueckner, in his 40s, was probably responsible. He has denied responsibility. Brueckner, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer, is behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve. His sentence runs until September, meaning he is set for release unless prosecutors find enough evidence to charge him over Madeleine's disappearance. In January, Sky News quoted the German prosecutor investigating Madeleine's disappearance as saying there was currently no prospect of charges being brought against Brueckner.
7NEWS
2 days ago
- General
- 7NEWS
Madeleine McCann: Details emerge in new search for missing girl
Portuguese and German police have launched joint searches of a 'vast' area in Portugal's southern Algarve region for new evidence related to the 2007 disappearance of three-year-old British child Madeleine McCann. Portugal's investigative Judicial Police (PJ) had said on Monday they would execute search warrants between Monday and Friday at the behest of the public prosecutor's office in Germany's Braunschweig, which in 2022 formally identified German citizen Christian Brueckner as an official suspect in the case. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Police launch new search for Madeleine McCann. A source involved in the search operation said the targeted area was 'vast' with police using grounbrd-penetrating radar across several hectares. Portuguese officers were following instructions from German police under a European Investigation Order. The scale of the searches could be the most extensive since the initial investigation was closed in 2008. Fresh but relatively focused searches were ordered by Portuguese, United Kingdom and German police of scrubland, wells and reservoirs in 2014, 2020 and 2023. None of these searches were confirmed to have yielded significant evidence. Reuters footage showed uniformed PJ officers on a cordon on a dirt road in Atalaia - a neighbourhood of Lagos municipality - waving through unmarked vans and cars with German licence plates from the city of Wiesbaden, where the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has its headquarters. The BKA is assisting Portuguese law enforcement with 'criminal procedural measures', Braunschweig prosecutors told Reuters, declining to provide further details. The occupants of one of the German vehicles wore bucket hats, clothing with camouflage patterns and covered their faces with bandanas. A van belonging to Portugal's Maritime Police also arrived. That force has jurisdiction over coastal areas and took part in previous searches of beaches, wells and reservoirs using specialist divers. The road the police cordoned off is located close to a golf course and less than 1km from the beach. The search area was close to a property that Brueckner lived in, a neighbour told Reuters in 2020, although when was unclear. Madeleine went missing on May 3, 2007 while on holiday with her family in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz, sparking a frenzied search and gaining the attention of the world's media. She has never been found. German police said in June 2020 that Madeleine was assumed dead and Brueckner, in his 40s, was probably responsible. He has denied responsibility. Brueckner, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer, is behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve. His sentence runs until September, meaning he is set for release unless prosecutors find enough evidence to charge him over Madeleine's disappearance. On January 17, Sky News quoted the German prosecutor investigating Madeleine's disappearance as saying there was currently no prospect of charges being brought against Brueckner.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Vast police search for Madeleine McCann evidence launched in Algarve
A criminal police investigator walks near ruins as the police resumes the search for the body of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in the Portuguese Algarve in May 2007, in Atalaia, Portugal, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes A police barrier blocks a road as police resumes the search for the body of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in the Portuguese Algarve in May 2007, in Atalaia, Portugal, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes A car is seen as the police resumes the search for the body of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in the Portuguese Algarve in May 2007, in Atalaia, Portugal, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes Police officers move a barrier blocking a road as they resume the search for the body of Madeleine McCann, who went missing in the Portuguese Algarve in May 2007, in Atalaia, Portugal, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes LAGOS, Portugal - Portuguese and German police on Tuesday launched joint searches of a "vast" area in Portugal's southern Algarve region for new evidence related to the 2007 disappearance of three-year-old British child Madeleine McCann. The scale of the searches could be the most extensive since the initial investigation was closed in 2008, a year after Madeleine went missing while on holiday with her family in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz. Her disappearance sparked a frenzied search and gained the attention of the world's media. She has never been found. Fresh though relatively focused searches were ordered by Portuguese, British and German police of scrubland, wells and reservoirs in 2014, 2020 and 2023. None of these searches were confirmed to have yielded significant evidence. Portugal's investigative Judicial Police (PJ) had said on Monday they would execute search warrants at the behest of the public prosecutor's office in Germany's Braunschweig, which in 2022 formally identified German national Christian Brueckner as an official suspect in the case. The search operation is expected to end on Thursday, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office in the northern German city of Braunschweig said. A source involved in the search said the targeted area was "vast" with police using ground-penetrating radar across several hectares. Portuguese officers were following instructions from German police under a European Investigation Order. Reuters footage showed uniformed PJ officers in a cordon on a dirt road in Atalaia - a neighbourhood of Lagos municipality - waving through unmarked vans and cars with German license plates from the city of Wiesbaden, where the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has its headquarters. The BKA is assisting Portuguese law enforcement with "criminal procedural measures", Braunschweig prosecutors told Reuters, declining to provide further details. The occupants of one of the German vehicles wore bucket hats, clothing with camouflage patterns and bandanas covering their faces. A van belonging to Portugal's Maritime Police also arrived. That force has jurisdiction over coastal areas and took part in previous searches of beaches, wells and reservoirs using specialist divers. The road the police cordoned off is located close to a golf course and less than 1 km (0.6 miles) from the beach. The search area was close to a property that Brueckner lived in, a neighbour told Reuters in 2020, though when was unclear. German police said in June 2020 that Madeleine was presumed dead and that Brueckner, in his 40s, was probably responsible. He has denied responsibility. Brueckner, a convicted child abuser and drug dealer, is behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old woman in the same area of the Algarve. His sentence runs until September, meaning he is set for release unless prosecutors find enough evidence to charge him over Madeleine's disappearance. In January, Sky News quoted the German prosecutor investigating Madeleine's disappearance as saying there was currently no prospect of charges being brought against Brueckner. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
